The Visit
by domino84
Summary: BTVS Crossover. AC - The Scoobies come to visit LA. Set during S3 Angel and S6 Buffy. COMPLETE!
1. Their Arrival

Title:The Visit  
Author: Domino  
Email:zahfat@yahoo.com  
CAtegory: BTVS Crossover, C/A  
Summary: THe Scoobies come to visit  
A/N: THis is kind of an AU set before Cordy becomes a demon (Birthday), but F/G are dating. I have messed with the timelines a bit. No Groo, or Holtz but Cordy is still dying.  
  
  
Chapter One  
  
  
It was a bedraggled group that stood outside, rain dripping miserably of them. They banged on the doors, but the place was silent, silent except for the uncharacteristic storm whose loud sounds drowned out any shouts.  
  
"This is ridiculous. I am breaking in," an English accent sounded out, sounding irritated.  
  
"I wonder where they are," a young red-head said, sounding calm despite the circumstances.  
  
"Well, if someone had bothered to phone and let them know we were coming…" a voice trailed of, and a brunette glared at a blonde girl.  
  
"I thought we could surprise them. Besides we all could use a vacation," the girl replied, defensively.  
  
"Surprise them, please you just wanted to…"  
  
"Everyone calm down," a man's voice interrupted. He sounded tired, and resigned, like he had done this many times before. "Spike!" he sounded, as he watched the vampire pull out something from his duster and focus on the lock.  
  
"What exactly do you think you are doing?" another voice cut in. They all turned in unison, to see a crossbow aimed directly at them. A black man and a young woman stood there. The man held the crossbow, his face resolute while the woman stood slightly behind him, peaking anxiously over his shoulder at the group in front of the hotel. Suddenly she started jumping up and down, and her arm pushed the weapon down.  
  
"Look, Charles. Its her. The girl who came last time," the girl said, excitedly running towards the red-head. And to the surprise of the group hugged her. She hugged back awkwardly.   
  
"Fred?" the man was slower to react, but he did put the crossbow away.   
  
Fred ran back towards him. She pointed to the people around, talking in almost one breathe, "That's Willow, remember Charles. She's Cordy's friend, Cordy says I'm like her, and that's the B-word," her voice lowered slightly, "You know the one that died, and that's Dawnie…Cordy says she's cool and she's the key and that she's really great to go shopping with," the girl pointed to the others and continued, "And that's Xander…he's the one Angel gets mad at, cos he cheated on Cordy, and she cried that once, and that's Giles, Angel says he's like Wes and Cordy says he only wears tweed – she's right, that is tweed, and that's…" she stopped for a second, when she realized the weird stares she was getting from the bemused faces watching her in shock.  
  
"Maybe we could take this inside, chit," the blonde vampire standing at the door said quickly before the girl could start again, "where it isn't raining," he added pointedly.  
  
"Oh, of course, Charles why didn't you tell me? Look at all of us, soaking wet. Although I do like the rain…" the girl added. Luckily for all of them, 'Charles' moved forward and giving a glare at Spike, causing the blonde vampire to move back, used his keys to open the front doors of the hotel.  
  
"So, what - it didn't occur to you'll to ring the bell," the man called Charles aimed over his shoulder as the group hurried inside to get out the rain. He didn't seem overly friendly, as eyed them all with distrust.  
  
"Of course, we did. There's no one home," Xander replied scornfully.  
  
"Don't be silly, Angel and Cordy are home," Fred replied quickly, and then added, "Oh!"  
  
"Oh what?" Buffy asked, curious despite herself.  
  
Fred exchanged a look with Gunn and then to surprise of the group, the man broke out laughing.   
  
"Oh is right, Fred," he said, and then at the pointed curiosity of the others began to explain.  
  
"Well, Angel won the bet so…" he trailed of, seeing the confusion on their faces.  
  
"Well, that was real helpful," Spike said sarcastically and turned to the willowy girl. At least when she talked, even if it made no sense, she gave information, he thought.  
  
Fred picked up the story, "Last time Cordy won, and she made Angel watch the Matrix and so when he won he insisted on Charleton Heston. That's his favorite, and Cordy hates it. He always picked it for movie nights and Cordy always tries to avoid watching them. I don't know why, I kind of like them, but Wes and Charles don't either. Tonight, Angel insisted Cordy sit and watch, and Wes made some excuse and me and Charles had a date, so we left, and that's why."  
  
Xander looked at each person in the room pointedly before saying, "So am I like the only person in the room that didn't get that?"  
  
"Maybe you start again," Dawn suggested, ignoring the panicked looks on their faces.  
  
"Its simple, really," Fred said, taking no offense, "Cordy probably fell of to sleep to avoid watching, and Angel got bored since he didn't have Cordy to bug so he's sleeping as well."   
  
They group still wore disbelieving looks.   
  
"Angel likes Charleton Heston?" Willow asked finally.  
  
"Movie night?" Buffy questioned.  
  
"So they're sleeping together," Anya put in.  
  
"He always was a boring poof," Spike added.  
  
"No way," was Xander's contribution, although if it was in reply to Anya, Willow or Fred, no one was quite sure.  
  
"Come with us, if you don't believe me," Fred said, and led the way into another room. They all followed slowly, unable to think of a reason not to.  
  
There on the sofa, curled up together lay Angel and Cordelia. Their legs were a tangled mass and her head rested on his chest, with his arms wrapped tightly around her. In the corner of the room the TV was softly playing, unnoticed by the sleeping forms.   
  
They all stared. It wasn't merely the position that held them, but the expressions on their faces. Cordelia had a slight smile, mysterious, secretive and happy on her face and none of them had seen Angel look so calm, so at peace before.  
  
And then simultaneously all turned to look at Buffy to see her reaction. She had a surprised look on her face, and something unreadable. Their attention was distracted again when Fred walked up to the two of them, and reached into what looked like a bassinet.  
  
Expertly the young girl picked up a baby and walked quietly out the room up the stairs, Charles following her, after leaning over his two sleeping friends and covering them up with a blanket lying on the edge of the sofa.  
  
The group backed out of the room, almost tripping over each other in their haste to leave and once in the lobby again, they all avoided each other's eyes until Xander who couldn't take the silence anymore, blurted out, "I saw a baby, right. A real live baby." When no one answered he added, "that wasn't rhetorical question."  
  
TBC 


	2. The Baby?

[I]Thanks for all the feedback, guys. I appreciate it. With regards to who was talking in the first part, i realise it was slightly confusing, but the idea was to guess on their identity. Enjoy the next part. Domino [/]  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
"Yes that's a baby. A real live one," Gunn answered his question sarcastically.  
  
"His name is Connor," Fred added, coming down the stairs, a baby monitor in her hand. "He's one month old yesterday."  
  
She walked past them through the open door where Angel and Cordelia slept and they saw her place the monitor on a small coffee table next to the entwined pair.  
  
Willow shook her head to clear it, and then shook it again in denial. "No that's not possible," she said, almost if talking to herself.  
  
"What's not possible, Will?" Buffy asked, glad to turn away from staring at Angel and Cordelia.  
  
"I saw her a few months ago. And there's NO way she was pregnant. Not in that outfit. No way."  
  
"What outfit?" Xander asked.   
  
"The princess one," Gunn replied absently.  
  
"Princess?" Spike spoke, looking curiously at Gunn.  
  
"Hello!" the shout interrupted them all. They all turned to look at Buffy, "That was a baby," she finished slightly softer.  
  
"Oh, Connor's not Cordy's," Fred said in the ensuing silence, replying to the unspoken assumption, "Well, he is, but not really," she tried to clarify.  
  
"Oh, that was helpful," Buffy said. Her tone said otherwise.  
  
Gunn decided he didn't really like her. He glared at Buffy as Fred said proudly, "He's Angel's son."  
  
There was silence before all their voices rose in protest.  
  
"He can't be!" It was a flat statement. Buffy.  
  
"Deadboy has a son?" Xander.  
  
"I didn't know vampires could have children," Willow's voice has a questioning tone.  
  
"It isn't possible," Giles said.  
  
"The prophecy," it came from Anya.  
  
And through it all came laughter. Spike. He laughed and laughed. Tears started running down his face. And all of them quieted till the only sound in the huge lobby was the echoing sound of his laughter. They all turned to stare at him, but he didn't stop.  
  
"Figures," he chocked out between chuckles, "The poof would have a baby. What could be more unnatural."   
  
Gunn decided he didn't like the blonde man either.  
  
"Connor's a perfectly normal human child," Fred said defensively. She didn't take insults to her family very well.  
  
"Of course he is," Spike said, "Didn't say otherwise, did I?" He stopped laughing, "So the cheerleader's the mum, is she?"  
  
"No, Darla's Connor's mother."   
  
They all took in that statement, before the voices rose again.  
  
"Darla's dead." Xander.  
  
"The same Darla…." Willow.  
  
"Never would just die, that bitch," the heartfelt comment came from Spike. He was the only one of them that didn't looked shocked.  
  
Gunn raised his hand to silence them. When that didn't work he yelled, "Shut up!" There was instant quiet.  
  
"Maybe you should talk to Angel and Cordy," he said, "They'll explain."  
  
"Yeah," Fred agreed, "But don't bring up the D-word to Cordy. She gets upset. Then Angel gets upset, 'cos she's upset. And then…"  
  
"Okay, we won't." Giles got out before she could continue. Gunn immediately glared at the offending party who dared interrupt his girl.  
  
It was at this point, before any more questions could be asked that an unusual sound was heard. Unusual, at least to the Scoobies. A baby's cry.  
  
It garnered immediate attention. Gunn and Fred both turned to the steps and from the open doorway, two figures jumped. There was a loud crash, and amidst a tangle of limbs and a blanket, now laying on the floor, they separated and both headed for the door.   
  
The Scoobies gaped as the two went by, their presence unnoticed in the light of the baby's cries and watched as Angel ran towards the staircase and met Fred and Gunn about halfway, a howling baby in Fred's arms, while Cordelia ran through another door at the end of the lobby, into the kitchen.  
  
With an ease unexpected to them, the baby was transferred into his father's arms, where he instantly settled down. The peace was short-lived, however, and less than a minute later, the baby was tearing up again.  
  
The Scoobies continued watching, unnoticed. They didn't announce their presence and neither did Fred and Gunn, all their attention focused solely on the child.  
  
"Cor, hurry up," Angel yelled over the sound of the baby's cries.   
  
"Since when does he call her Cor?" Xander whispered to the Scoobies.  
  
"I'm coming. I'm coming," Cordelia yelled back.  
  
"Don't worry, Connor. Mummy's bringing you food right now," Angel said to his son reassuringly.  
  
"Since when is Cordelia a mother," Buffy whispered.  
  
"I thought she wasn't the mummy," Willow said back.  
  
"I thought she was," Dawnie replied.  
  
Cordelia walked back into the room with a bottle in her hand, and headed towards Angel and Connor.  
  
"Come here, sweetheart, come to Aunt Cordy," she said in a baby voice to the baby and with an even more practiced ease the baby was transferred to Cordelia and without delay began sucking on the bottle, the room silencing once more.  
  
"Maybe she doesn't know she's the mummy," Xander added.  
  
"Maybe he doesn't know she isn't the mummy," Buffy whispered back.  
  
They all turned to stare at her.   
  
"What? I'm confused." The Scoobies all nodded in agreement.  
  
Angel and Cordelia began to pace, their steps in unison, the length of the room, Cordelia rocking the baby in her arms, Angel's eyes focused only on Cordelia and the precious bundle she had in her arms. It was why he didn't see the Scoobies until they were directly in front of them.   
  
He did however notice, the sudden stop they made, and the fistful of his shirt that was abruptly grabbed.  
  
"Angel, tell me I am having a vision," Cordelia's desperate voice made him look up directly into Buffy's eyes.  
  
"We wish," Gunn muttered from behind them.  
  
"No…Cor, I don't think so," Angel said slowly, as he took in the rest of the Scoobies. He reached a hand around Cordelia fist and tried to loosen her grip on his shirt.  
  
"Cordy, my shirt," he hinted.  
  
"Oh," Cordelia let go, and then watched as Angel tried to smooth out the creases in the navy shirt he wore.  
  
"I have to go an iron this," Angel said, slightly annoyed.   
  
Cordelia turned away from the sight of the Sunnydale crowd to look at him. "You know you are a freak, right," she said to him, "Did you not notice the visitors we have."  
  
Tbc 


	3. Attempted Escape

Chapter 3  
  
"Anyone feel like we stepped into the Twilight Zone?" Xander asked the room in general, while everyone was looking at Angel's rather indignant face at Cordy's comment.  
  
"I have to go with yes," Willow answered Xander's question.  
  
"Hi, Buffy," Angel said, and then glanced around to include the others in his greeting, "Guys."  
  
"Angel," Buffy said, looking into his eyes.   
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes. 'And so it begins. Another chapter in the saga of the never-ending make-me-gag lives that is Buffy and Angel. I need to get out of here.' Across from her, Spike did the same.  
  
"So that's Connor, Angelus?" Spike said, to break the stare.  
  
Angel turned away from Buffy, and glared at his grand-childe, "It's Angel," he said. And then the rest dawned on him. He turned back to Buffy, "You'll know," he said.  
  
"They mentioned some things," she gestured to Fred and Gunn standing behind them.  
  
Awkward greetings over , silence descended upon the room once more.   
  
"Okay, then… I'm going to go now," Cordelia broke the silence, and before Angel could say anything, Connor was back in his arms. It took him a couple of seconds to figure out that she was actually leaving him, by which point she was already at the door, completely in flight mode. Dealing with Sunnydale wasn't something she was ready to do unexpectedly. She needed time to prepare, so she was getting some, at home with Dennis. If she was lucky, they would be gone by morning. Of course the way her luck was going, that would so never happen.  
  
Her hand was on the doorknob, when there was a sudden flash of movement that stopped her. It was panic, sheer panic that made Angel move so fast, sheer panic and having the advantage of vampire reflexes, panic that she was going to leave him alone to deal with the Scoobies and Buffy, he wasn't about to let that happen. Connor seemed to enjoy it though, the baby was smiling happily and waving his arms in the air.  
  
"You can't go," he said flatly, leaving no room for argument. Of course that really wasn't the way to deal with Cordy, she didn't really take well to orders, irrespective of who was giving them.   
  
The door opened before Cordelia could answer him and Wesley and Lorne stepped inside. "Go where, princess?" Lorne asked, looking around. There was strange vibes going on here.  
  
The next few seconds were strange to say the least. A gasp was heard from one of the Scoobies. Another fast movement, and a stake was held against Lorne's chest by the Slayer. An instant later, that same hand was thrown off by Cordelia and the slayer flew back, flipping to land on her feet. Everyone stared at Cordy in shock.  
  
"Lorne is our friend," Cordelia said to the room, "You don't get to touch him," and she looked directly at Buffy.  
  
"But he's a demon," Buffy protested, a little weakly. She was still in shock from being thrown of by Cordelia, who last she checked didn't quite know how to fight.   
  
"Not all demons are bad, luv," Spike told the slayer. Buffy looked at him for a minute, and then at Angel who had this weird expression on his face, it looked strangely like pride, before she nodded. An agreement. She wouldn't hurt Lorne.  
  
Buffy turned to look at the rest of the Scoobies to see what they were thinking. Xander was staring at Cordelia in awe, Anya was looking at her nails, a bored expression on her face, while Giles was inching his way closer to the green demon, his I-want-to-study-it look in full display. Buffy frowned when she saw Willow and Dawn's faces. Something akin to hero-worship was developing, a similar expression on the weird girl, Fred's face. The frown grew when she noticed Spike interest in her former nemesis. What the hell was going on here?  
  
Cordelia began to head towards the door again, trying to sneak out before Angel figured out she was leaving. There would be more questions now, and she really didn't want to explain Connor, the visions and the training to them. Damn. Blocked again.   
  
Angel had a pleading expression on his face, as he stood in front of her. "You can't leave me, Cor," he whined, "I need you."   
  
"Since when does Angel whine?" Willow asked.  
  
"Is that Wesley? Wow…he doesn't look like how I remember him," Anya said, ignoring the glare Xander sent her way. Buffy and Dawn looked at Wesley and agreed.  
  
Cordelia didn't budge, she was leaving. Time to pull out the big guns. Angel put his puppy-dog look in his eyes. He knew she always fell for it. When he saw her weakening he whispered, "Please."   
  
Cordelia wavered slightly, and then glanced behind her at the Scoobies who were all watching the scene with avid interest. No – there was no way she was staying. Puppy dog expressions or not. She looked back at Angel and shook her head, and started to walk by.  
  
"Cordy, come on," he said desperately and glanced down for a second at his son, "Connor needs you." She stopped, and looked at the little boy in his arms. Connor was waving his arms around happily making little baby noises. When he saw her he reached out with his little arms towards her, "See, he wants you to stay." Angel didn't even feel guilty using his son to make her stay.  
  
"He looks fine to me." Cordelia looked back up at her best friend. Angel glared at his son. Connor cried all the time, and when he need him to the kid was happy. For a second he contemplated whether pinching his son would make him cry and her stay. No – he couldn't do that. Cordy would be mad.  
  
"I'm not letting you leave," he said finally. He groaned inwardly when he saw her expression to his statement. Oh he was going to have to pay for that, he knew. He wondered if he bought her that new dress she wanted, she would forgive him.   
  
"You can't make me stay, right Wes?" Cordelia looked at Wes.  
  
Wesley swallowed noisily and looked at Angel before glancing at Cordelia again. Who was scarier? No question about it. He sent an apologetic look to his friend before nodding in agreement with her, "Of course not, Cordy."  
  
Angel looked around desperately for help. Gunn and Fred both shook their heads. They were not getting involved. Making Cordy mad was not a good way to go. Angel looked at Lorne, and the demon smirked at him, before smiling, "Princess, maybe you should stay. You might be needed here. Never know what's going to happen."   
  
Cordelia looked at Lorne for a second and then back at Angel and Wesley. Angel looked hopeful and Wesley had a slightly edgy expression in his face. He didn't look any more happy to be dealing with ghosts from the past then she did. She took a look at Fred, who was nervously chewing on her fingers. Fred didn't like new people. They all needed her. Damn. She couldn't leave.  
  
She reached for Connor and put her bag back on her desk. Angel smiled happily at her, freaking out all the Scoobies who had rarely, if ever seen him smile, not counting Angelus smirks.  
  
Dawnie immediately rushed towards her and enveloped her in a hug. "I missed you Cordy," she said excitedly. "Can you show me how you that? Isn't Connor gorgeous. I wish we had a baby," she bubbled, not noticing Buffy's horrified expression to her last statement.  
  
"You've grown, Dawnie-girl. Woah. And I love your hair," Cordy smiled at her. Not everyone is Sunnydale hated her, she remembered a little belatedly.  
  
Willow took her cue from Dawn and reached to hug Cordelia as well, to Buffy and Xander's surprise. When did they become friends.  
  
"Hey, Cordelia."  
  
"Willow." To the surprise of the rest of the room, Cordelia hugged her back. "It's been a while, huh. How's Tara?"   
  
"Willow and Cordelia speak. I didn't know that. Why didn't I know that? Does anyone tell me anything?" Xander said to Anya and Buffy.  
  
"Hey, I didn't know either. I apparently don't know lots of stuff," Buffy said, a little annoyed by the warm greetings exchanged by her sister and best friend and Cordelia.  
  
"What's with princess thing – that's what I want to know. I thought she was Queen C?" Spike asked, and was promptly ignored by all.  
  
"Tara's good. She's visiting a cousin, and we thought we would all take a vacation," Willow answered.   
  
(A/N I KNOW TARA DOESN'T REALLY SPEAK TO MOST OF HER FAMILY BUT IMAGINE A NICE COUSIN FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE FIC)  
  
"That's too bad. I wanted to meet her."  
  
"Next time, maybe."  
  
"I want warning next time, Will" Cordelia joked, half serious.  
  
"I know. You have a lot of explaining to do," Willow looked at the baby in her arms.   
  
Cordelia smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, I know. Not my secret to give though. Plus I figured I owe you for Harmony," she said, exchanging grins with Willow.  
  
"Never gonna let that go, huh?" Willow said, running her fingers down Connor's face, while Dawn played with his hands. Connor looked entranced by the new people.  
  
"Nah," Cordy replied, "Wanna hold him?" she said to Dawn.  
  
"Can I? Can I really? Dawn said excitedly, jumping up and down.   
  
"Yeah, of course you can. If you want to ask his daddy?"   
  
Dawn ran from Cordy to Angel and bounced in front of him, "Can I? Can I, please, pleeeeeeeeeease," she said, exitedly.  
  
"You don't have to ask, Dawn," Angel replied, smiling at her excitement. Before he finished talking, Dawn was already reaching for Connor from Cordy.   
  
Anya who had never had much experience with babies headed towards Connor as well and nervously held out a hand to touch his face.  
  
"He won't bite, Anya," Cordelia's tone was amused.  
  
Angel looked around and smiled to himself. The lobby was fuller than normal and since Cordy decided to stay, things were definitely less tense and awkward. Giles stood at the one end of the room, introducing himself to Lorne, with Wesley as they discussed Connor and Pylea, while Gunn and Fred spoke to Willow and Xander. Anya and Dawn were playing with Connor while his mother watched carefully. The term he called Cordelia slipped in unconsciously, and he didn't notice it.   
  
Angel looked further and spotted Buffy, still slightly in shock, she stood separately, watching the room, like him. Angel observed Spike from his position, he appeared to standing guard over Buffy, while his glance wavered between her and Dawn. Things had changed, Angel thought to himself, and contemplated whether or not he should go and talk to Buffy. He would wait and ask Cordy what she thought.  
  
He jumped when the object of his thoughts called his name. He headed towards her.  
  
"You, Spike and Gunn go and fetch the bags from the car, while Wes, Fred and I get some rooms ready," Cordelia said to him.   
  
"They're all staying here?" Angel asked. That hadn't occurred to him.   
  
"Of course they are. This is a hotel, Angel," Cordy replied, and smirked at his panic.  
  
"But…"   
  
"No, buts, go," she shooed him out the door and sent Spike and Gunn after him. They followed. It didn't occur to anyone to question her orders.  
  
"Okay, we will use rooms 11, 16, the green room, the blue one – Xander, are you and Anya sharing?"   
  
"Of course we are. We want to have sex," Anya replied to her question.   
  
"Okay, way too much information," Cordy said.  
  
"You get used to it," Willow put in.   
  
"Yeah? And room 18 for Anya and Xander, and 28 for Spike. Dawnie, I gave you your own room," Cordelia finished off.  
  
"Thanks, Cordy. Hey can we go shopping tomorrow?" Dawn called back.  
  
Cordelia turned around and smiled – a huge smile – the one the AI team referred to as her 100watt smile, "Shopping. Oh yeah. Never turn down shopping. Can't wait."   
  
"I wanna come too," Willow said.  
  
"I could go as well. You can help with the honeymoon stuff." Anya added.  
  
"Perfect. We can make a day of it, right Fred?" Cordy looked at Fred for agreement, and then smiled sunnily at Buffy, "You're coming, Buffy?" she said. There. Angel can be proud of me. I am being nice.  
  
Buffy looked at Cordelia. At the sincere invitation, and the smile that had the room bowled over, "Sure, why not. I could shop."  
  
"Great," Dawn said, "I love shopping with Cordy. She has the coolest taste. We are going to have so much fun."  
  
"Fun with what, Nibblet?" Spike caught the end, as he staggered back into the room, his hands filled with various bags.  
  
"Me and Cordy and us girls are going shopping," Dawnie replied, twirling with Connor.  
  
Spike smiled at her happiness.   
  
"Damn, girl. You move fast. They just got here," Gunn said, as he dumped the suitcases he carried on the floor of the lobby.  
  
"I'll have you know, I didn't even suggest it," Cordy said, defensively.  
  
"Of course you didn't," Angel answered her, sarcastically, "You really don't want to go shopping."  
  
"Hey, stop picking on Cordy," Dawnie called.  
  
"How does she do that?" Wes said to Angel.  
  
"What? Get everyone in the room to take her side," Angel asked, and Gunn nodded.  
  
Angel looked at her, an unreadable look on his face, and said quietly, "She smiles!"   
  
Across the room from them, Buffy and Xander looked at each, and back at Angel looking at Cordelia.  
  
"He's in love with her," Buffy said, in a tone so soft he could barely hear her, "And she doesn't even know."  
  
"Yeah, he is," Xander replied, "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice concerned.  
  
"I don't know. I thought…I thought…." Buffy's voice faded.  
  
"What?" Xander asked.  
  
"I thought that what we had, Angel and I - it was forever. Nothing could touch it," she said sadly.  
  
"Maybe it was, Buffy. Time just passes," Xander replied softly.  
  
"No, it wasn't. What we had was bright, and fast, but it burned out. First loves do that." This time her voice sounded more sure. She didn't take her eyes of Angel. "Look at him – that's forever. The light that burns eternally. It might not be as bright, but its never gone burn out."  
  
Xander took his worried eyes of her and looked at Angel. And then at Cordelia. She was talking to Dawn, her hands gesturing excitedly, while Angel stared from across the room, his eyes taking in her every movement. Even when he turned to comment to Wesley who was standing next to him, his eyes always went back to her.  
  
"Buffy?" There was a question in his voice. Of concern. Of worry.   
  
She smiled at him, a sad smile, "I guess that's why I came here. Why I made us all come here."  
  
"Because?"  
  
"To say goodbye. For real this time. I didn't even admit it to myself, until I saw them. On that couch. He looked peaceful. I've never seen him at peace before. Or so happy. She did that. Even if she doesn't know."  
  
"You gonna be okay?" Xander asked when she stopped.  
  
"I think so. I really do. Maybe I just needed to say it our aloud."  
  
"It'll happen to you, Buffy. I know."  
  
"How do you know?" She turned to face him, "How are you always so sure, huh Xander?"  
  
"'Cos I love you, and I know how easy it is to do that, Buffy," he smiled at her.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Always."  
  
Buffy turned around and faced the room again, "We are going to have to do something about that though. Can't have Queen C remaining oblivious."  
  
"You picked it up fast," a voice said from behind them, "It's the kyerumption."   
  
Buffy and Xander turned around and looked at green man standing slightly back, a cautious distance to respect the slayer. He smiled at them, "At least he finally figured it out, the princess is still clueless."  
  
"Kyerumption?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Princess? What is with this princess thing?" Xander questioned.  
  
"Long story."  
  
"We're here all week," Buffy said, and to her own surprise, despite the new discoveries and realizations she had just experienced she felt happy about it.  
  
"Guys," Cordelia interrupted, and everyone headed towards her, "How about we get some food, and do some catch-up," she suggested when she had everyone's attention.  
  
"Plan. I like that plan. Can we have tacos, huh, Cordy, please," Fred asked, enthusiasm bubbling over.  
  
"Yeah, Fred. We can have taco's," Angel replied for Cordy and the two of them exchanged an amused look.   
  
"I figure we have lots of stories to tell," Buffy said, and looked at Angel for a second. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Cordelia turning away, her face emotionless. So she is jealous.  
  
"How about you explain the Princess story, Cordelia…Cordy," Buffy caught her eye, and smiled, her own olive branch extended.  
  
"Woah, looks like the B-word is making nice with Barbie," Gunn whispered to Fred, Lorne and Wesley who were all standing on one side of Angel and Cordelia with the Scoobies on the other side. Despite the backgrounds, and friendly overtures, it would be a while before the lines that were drawn could be crossed.  
  
"She knows about the kyerumption," Lorne stage-whispered back, a tad too loud. It was heard by both vampires in the room, leaving one confused while the other sent a glare their way. It darkened when Fred began to jump up and down excitedly. Wesley laid a restraining arm on her.  
  
"Shhh, I want to hear," he admonished them.  
  
"It comes complete with props," Cordelia replied to Buffy, her smile widening, taking in everything in its path, "Wanna see my princess outfit?" she asked. And because she was looking at Buffy she didn't notice the enthusiastic agreement from all the men in the room. Enthusiastic, that is, until Angel figured out those looks on their faces were aimed at his Cordy and he shot them all a warning glare. It worked for all, except Spike who just smirked back at him.  
  
Despite the late hour, and the earlier ups and downs, the rest of the night passed relatively painlessly. Gunn, Wesley, Spike, Fred and Dawn went to get take-out from various places, and the rest prepared the rooms for occupation.  
  
It was a night of food, talk, catch-up and revelations for both groups. Anya spent most of her time with Connor, even after he was sleeping, looking totally fascinated, and scaring the hell out of Xander, after he noticed her enthrallment in the baby.  
  
The Scoobies watched in horror and amazement when Cordelia ever so calmly pulled out several packets of blood, and poured it into mugs, while conversing with Dawn over the pros and cons of blonde highlights, and put them into the microwave, before handing it to Angel and a shocked Spike.   
  
Angel smiled his thanks and promptly started drinking, while Spike stared at his.   
  
"He's drinking in front of us," Xander said in horror to Willow.  
  
Willow looked around, "They don't seem to care," she commented, taking in their expressions. It was like it was nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
"She warmed up his blood," Buffy said, she didn't take her eyes of the microwave, "In the microwave," she added, almost if stating the obvious would make it real.   
  
Xander poked Anya in the arm, "Look, An…he's drinking. Blood,"   
  
"So," Anya glanced at Angel before going back to Connor.  
  
"So…its BLOOD," Xander repeated, "Blood!"  
  
"I'm a ex-demon, Xander. Blood isn't a big deal," Anya replied in a bored voice.  
  
Cordelia moved around in the kitchen grabbing some stuff, and handing it to Dawn, who didn't seem to think there was anything wrong at all, not noticing Buffy, Xander and Willow's faces. She spotted Spike still staring at his mug.  
  
"I didn't spike it with holy water, if that's what you are worried about," she smiled at him. He looked up at her.  
  
"No one's ever given me blood before," he said to her, "Well, Dru did, but she didn't put it in a mug," he continued. Cordelia's face blanched at the mention of Druscilla.   
  
"You're welcome," Cordy replied.  
  
Spike looked at the mug in wonder before looking around at the rest of the crowd. He saw Angel drinking his while talking to Wesley, and then he turned and spotted Buffy, her eyes filled with horror, and his face fell. Not for the first time, he felt envy for his grandsire.   
  
"So you gonna drink it, or just stare at it all day. I know my cooking skills suck, but really…" Cordelia teased, from beside him. She didn't say anything but Spike had the distinct feeling she knew exactly how he felt, and was trying to make him feel better. When he felt, Angel's gaze on the two of them, he smirked at him, raised his mug in toast, took one last look at Buffy and made a decision. He drank.  
  
And promptly choked.   
  
"What the hell is in here?" he asked.  
  
"Chili!" Angel replied, appearing suddenly next to him. He grinned at Spike, "She puts cinnamon for breakfast, and chili for supper," he continued, "I just drink it."   
  
"She puts cinnamon in your blood?" Spike looked at Angel incredulously, "Why?"  
  
"She says, and I quote, my diet is too bland, she can't possible be expected to do the same all the time, so she varies it. Sometimes she puts other stuff in," he shuddered in horror.  
  
Spike smiled at him, a sincere smile, this time, "You're a lucky bastard, Angelus."   
  
"I know, William," Angel replied, turning to look at his Cordy again, "I know."  
  
TBC 


	4. Vampire Bonding

Chapter 4  
  
  
Angel looked around the lobby, at the sight of various bodies sprawled out over the seats, and the slowly moving people. It was pretty late, and they had all spent the night exchanging stories.   
  
He saw Spike come down the stairs, after carrying Dawn up and headed for Buffy. Willow was slowly going up with Giles and Xander had Anya in his arms. Wesley and Gunn were already in the rooms they kept at the hotel, and Fred and Lorne, one of the few still wide awake were picking up various odds and ends, empty pizza boxes and junk food containers and throwing them in a large bin bag.   
  
Fred walked past him, standing still in the lobby and smiled at him, before continuing up to her room, leaving the lobby empty except for him and his family. She lay curled up on the sofa, Connor fast asleep in her arms. He allowed himself a small smile at the sight that they presented, and felt a deep contentment within.   
  
Today had been a good day, he thought, standing still, reluctant to move and disturb the picture they made. He talked to Buffy and felt for the first time in years that things would work out fine. The usual feeling that he had after seeing Buffy, the helplessness and anger was gone…he didn't need it any more, and it seemed that she was getting over it as well.   
  
Even Wesley seemed happier. The old insecurities that arose with the mention of Sunnydale appeared less, and he and Giles spent most of the night trashing the Council, both of them having less than fond memories of the society.   
  
Best of all, he could tell Cordy, once she got over her urge to run, had actually been happy to see the Scoobies. It even looked like she and Buffy were making an effort to be nice to each other, a rather big relief for him. It wasn't right that the two women he loved the most in the world were at each others throats.   
  
His thoughts moves on and he frowned at the thought of Spike. The vampire had been very much a part of the group, and it was obvious that Dawn, and even Buffy were very attached to him. He didn't hate Spike, despite the torture of a few years ago, and the chip wouldn't let him hurt anyone, but…he just wasn't that comfortable with letting have the run of his hotel. He refrained from saying anything yet, he would wait and see.   
  
"Think of the devil," Angel muttered as Spike headed towards him.  
  
The two vampires stood next to each other, arms folded.  
  
Spike broke the silence, "I love her, you know. And the nibblet," he said quietly to his grandsire. Angel turned to him, and looked into his eyes, searching for the truth. There was no sign of the usual smirk, and amusement that laced his expressions. He was serious. "Dru knows," he added. Spike wasn't asking for permission – he was just informing.   
  
"Okay," Angel replied, "I guess we'll see how she feels about you."   
  
"That's it?" Spike asked, shocked. He had been expecting this conversation to go bad.  
  
"What do you want me to say? You already know I will kill you if you hurt her or Dawn." Angel said to him.  
  
"She can take care of herself, you know," Spike answered him, "I guess I expected you to be more…"  
  
"More, what?"  
  
"More Angelus. He was always possessive. I guess its reserved for the cheerleader now."  
  
"I can be reasonable," Angel said, and ignored Spike's snort of disbelief, "Besides I know you, Spike…spent decades with you after all…I know that when you love, it consumes you."   
  
"Its different with her, than it was with Dru," Spike said.  
  
"Yeah, Buffy is sane."  
  
"Hey, keep in mind who made Dru crazy," Spike said, old habits dying hard.  
  
Angel flinched.   
  
"Well, then…" Spike drawled, "Now that's done with, I'll go," he turned to go, and walked towards the steps.  
  
Angel went back to looking at Cordy and Connor.   
  
Spike stopped at base of the stairs, "Need help getting the little one up?" the words came out, before he could stop himself. Angel glanced at him in surprise. He looked at Connor for a second and back at Spike.   
  
An understanding passed.   
  
"Yeah, you can take your nephew up," he said to Spike.   
  
"Uncle Spike, I like the sound of that. Not sure about the family relationship though, " Spike said back, smirking, and bent over Cordelia and picked up the little baby, gently.  
  
"Lets try not to confuse my baby," Angel said, a smirk of his own.  
  
Angel watched him holding Connor for a second. It seemed strangely natural to the blonde vampire, "They are some really bad after him. You'll come if something happens to me?" he stated, it wasn't a question.   
  
"Yeah, I'll come," Spike returned, and walked up the stairs. Nothing else was needed to say.  
  
Angel leant over his beautiful Seer, and tenderly moved strands of her hair behind her ear, before picking her up. She sighed, and turned and buried her face in his chest. Slowly he walked up the stairs, prolonging the moment of holding her in his arms.   
  
He met Spike in his room, where he placing the child into his crib, and softly covering him up with some blankets. They didn't say anything to each, and Spike walked to the door, standing there watching as Angel lay Cordelia on his bed, and removed her shoes, before covering her with a blanket.   
  
"She doesn't know, does she?" Spike questioned.   
  
"No," Angel didn't ask what.  
  
"Maybe you should both consider why everyone in AI has a room at the hotel, except her," Spike said to him. Angel turned to him.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"What happens when she stays over?" Spike asked, "She sleeps here," he answered his own question.  
  
"So?"   
  
"Wesley, and Gunn have their own rooms."   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"She doesn't get her pick of rooms?" Spike asked. Angel was really dense sometimes.  
  
"Of course she does."  
  
"And she chose to sleep here," he said, and watched as understanding cleared on Angel's face. It was replaced by hope.  
  
"Go to bed, Angel," Spike said to him, his work here was done.  
  
"Goodnight, William."  
  
TBC 


	5. Sometimes Champions Whine

A/N I just wanted to say thanks to all those who feedbacked me. I really appreciate it. I did listen to all the suggestions and as much as it fit in, i tried to incorporate it. Here's the next part.Let me know what you'll think. Domino  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
  
"I'm bored," Angel whined to Gunn, Wesley, Giles, Spike and Xander.  
  
"Go read a book," Wesley sounded unsympathetic, as he moved his knight forward, displacing Gile's bishop. The two were in the midst of an intense chess match.  
  
"I don't want to read a book. I don't know why I can't go there," Angel complained.  
  
"You know why," Gunn called from his place on the floor where he was trashing Xander in their Gameboy competition.  
  
"Yeah, you do. Cordy will kick your ass from here to never," Wesley said, and he didn't notice the weird look Xander gave him. He wasn't used to the new Wesley yet.  
  
"It's not fair," Angel grumbled. Wesley and Giles looked up, curious despite themselves to hear what he would come up with now.  
  
"Did he always used to whine. I don't remember him whining, I don't even remember him even talking," Xander said to Spike.  
  
"Believe me, I lived with him for years. He always whined," Spike replied to him.  
  
"They been gone the whole day shopping, and now they'll be gone all night," Angel continued protesting.  
  
"You don't like shopping remember, Angel," Wesley reminded his grumpy friend.  
  
"She said it was just for the day, now she's gone all night and you know Connor gets crabby when he doesn't see her," Angel said.  
  
"Of course, Connor gets crabby when he doesn't see her," Gunn said sarcastically. Wesley and Giles exchanged amused smiles, Angel didn't notice.  
  
He opened his mouth to protest again, but he was cut off by Giles, "Go and bug someone else. Wes and I are in the middle of a game."   
  
"But what if she has a vision, or something happens?" Angel said, ignoring what he didn't want to hear.  
  
"Angel," Wesley sighed, "I know you heard of that little invention called the phone. She'll call."  
  
"But…"   
  
"No," Wesley interrupted, "Besides, we all know Cordy is perfectly capable of handling stuff on her own."  
  
"Not to mention the presence of the Slayer and pretty powerful witch." Xander put in.  
  
"I think I should go over there," Angel said.  
  
"Doesn't he hear anything we say?" Giles asked Wesley.  
  
"He has selective hearing when he wants to. Picked it up from Cordy," Wesley replied.  
  
"I wanna go too," Spike said to the room, much as it killed him to agree with Angel, he was bored as well. It was no fun without the girls and he hadn't seen Buffy and Dawn all day.  
  
"See, William wants to go," Angel said, and stood up enthusiastically, "Who's with me?"   
  
"Are you nuts, man? Cordy will kill you if you interrupt girls night," Gunn asked, incredulously.  
  
"Wesley stood up, and walked to Angel and tried to reason with him, "You know she doesn't get to have these very often, with only Fred around. Let them have their fun," Wes spoke logically.  
  
"Why can't she have it here? With us?" Angel asked, put out.   
  
"Last I checked Deadboy, you didn't have the right parts," Xander put in, unable to resist a taunt at Angel.  
  
Typically Angel ignored him, and returned to pleading with Wesley, "Connor misses her," he said.  
  
"Connor's sleeping," Giles dry tone cut in. He looked amused at Angel's behavior.  
  
Xander stood up, and walked over, "Look, man, you really don't want to go over there," he shuddered to emphasize his point, "Trust me on this."  
  
"How would you know, Xander?" taunted Spike from the side.   
  
"My best friends are girls. How the hell do you think I know?" Xander replied, snapping.  
  
"Come on, Wesley…I know you wanna go too. Gunn, Fred will be there." Angel said, trying to convince them.  
  
"Angel, you are being ridiculous. You can survive one night without her," Wesley said.  
  
"I don't think its fair that Lorne got to go with them," Angel resumed whining, "I can be fun too."  
  
"How? With all the brooding, not to mention your lack of fashion. Tell me exactly how you are going to help on girls night?" Spike asked.  
  
"Hey, I thought you were on my side," Angel retorted, "And I gave great fashion sense, Cordy thinks I look hot," he said, proudly.  
  
"Please, she only said that because you were bugging her about whether you look fat, or not," Gunn said. Angel glared at him. And then at the rest of the room when they dared to chuckle.   
  
"Well, I am going, whether you are coming or not. Connor doesn't sleep well when he's away from her," Angel announced to the room. He picked up Connor's crib with the sleeping child in it, and walked to the door.  
  
"Connor or him?" Spike questioned sarcastically.  
  
"She's so going to kill him," Wesley said.  
  
"Wanna go and watch," Gunn asked the rest.  
  
"Hell, yeah." Spike shouted. And the others nodded in agreement, and with that 5 really bored guys followed Angel out.  
  
He was sitting in the car, waiting, when they got outside. "Took you long enough," he said when they arrived. He waited till they all jumped in, handed Wesley Connor's crib and pulled out, heading for Cordelia's apartment.  
  
TBC 


	6. Girls Night Interrupted

Chapter 6  
  
The girls were sitting in the apartment, sprawled out over the floors and the sofas. It wasn't often that any of them got to do this. Fred and Willow made a list of all the things they had to do on a girl's night, and then they proceeded to go through all of them.  
  
After a day of intense shopping (there was no other way with Cordelia as guide) and a whole lot of facials, manicures, pedicures, and fashion shows later, the result was six weary girls and 1 exhausted demon. They were all relaxing now, with Dennis floating in various drinks and clearing up the room.  
  
"I want a ghost too," Dawn said to room.  
  
"Me too," Buffy agreed, twirling a glass in her hand.  
  
"You can't have mine," Cordelia retorted lazily from the sofa.  
  
"Is it time yet?" Willow asked.  
  
Fred nodded, and the two bent their heads together and whispered furiously.  
  
"I'm not sure if the aim of girl's night is to plan everything, Will…I am pretty sure lists shouldn't be on the agenda," Buffy commented, a little belatedly.  
  
"Never had a slumber party before," Fred answered, "We just wanted it all to be right."   
  
"So what's next on the list, girls?" Anya asked.  
  
"Girl talk," Willow announced.  
  
"You planned for girl talk," Cordelia asked.  
  
"Of course, how else do we find out all the juicy details, and the gossip," Willow replied. And Fred nodded her agreement.  
  
"Got to agree with them there," Lorne put in his two cents.  
  
"Okay, then," Dawn said, "Girl talk it is."  
  
"I'm not sure if you should hear this, Dawnie," Buffy said consideringly, "You are only 16 years old."  
  
"And what - you think I never talk about sex. That is what you are planning to talk about, right?"  
  
"Dawnie," Buffy said warningly.  
  
"Buffy," Dawn replied.  
  
"Oh come on Buffy, let her stay. Its not like she doesn't know already?" Willow pleaded on Dawn's behalf.  
  
Buffy considered it for a minute while Dawn looked beseechingly at her. It wasn't worth spoiling the day for. Not when everyone was getting along so well. "Okay, you can stay."  
  
"Yay," Dawn jumped up and hugged her sister in excitement.  
  
Cordelia watched them all for a minute and smiled. This was working out great. Her smile faded for a second, as a sharp pain ran through her head. She flinched. The headaches had been getting a lot worse recently. Ignoring them was becoming a problem.   
  
She stood up slowly, not wanting to aggravate it any further, and walked calmly into her bedroom to swallow some tablets. They didn't help much, but it was better than nothing. 'And Angel thinks I can't act,' she thought ruefully to herself. Cordelia sat on the bed, and closed her eyes for a second, the mask falling of her face for just a little while, as she summoned the strength to continue to pretend nothing was wrong. She wasn't going to let anything spoil this night. A night long overdue, by over three years according to her calculation.  
  
A glass of water and two tiny capsules floated towards her, as Dennis fluttered worriedly besides her.  
  
"Thanks, Dennis," she said softly. Cordelia swallowed them, and then took a deep breathe and tried to work her way through the pain.  
  
Another deep breathe, and slowly she stood back up and walked through the door, the mask firmly in place.  
  
"Oh, good, you're here, princess," Lorne said as he spotted her. He frowned as he read her aura, the dark colors edging in on the brightness she always radiated. Then she smiled at him, and he let the worry go.  
  
"We're going to start, Cordelia," Anya told her.  
  
"Start what?" Cordy asked.  
  
"The game, Cor. We planned it all out. We have a bunch of questions, and everyone has to answer truthfully," Fred said, excitement shining through.  
  
"Ok, then. Who gets to go first?" Cordy asked them, before glancing at her front door.  
  
The others followed her gaze.   
  
"Why do you keep doing that?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Doing what?" Cordy looked confused.  
  
"Looking at the door. All night long," Willow replied, "Are you expecting someone?"  
  
Cordelia smiled ruefully, "I didn't realize I was doing that," she said, "I guess I was expecting Angel to show up."  
  
"Why would Angel show up for girls night?" Anya asked, "You told them they couldn't come."  
  
Lorne answered for her, "Angelcakes doesn't really listen that well," he said.  
  
"Yeah, plus he's all weird overprotective-guy since the whole hell incident," Fred added helpfully.  
  
"Well, actually, he was weird over-protective guy before that. It just got worse after," Cordy clarified.  
  
"You'll think he'll show up as well?" Buffy asked Lorne and Fred.  
  
"No doubt about it," Lorne answered, "I'm surprised he isn't here yet."  
  
"Wesley probably made him stay," Cordelia said, "Or he'd show up with some lame excuse like…Connor can't sleep or something."  
  
At that second, the bell rang. Dawn jumped up and went to answer it. There stood their men, Angel in front with a baby's crib in his hands.  
  
Cordelia walked to the door, and stared hard at them. They all flinched under her gaze, except Angel who smiled sheepishly at her, and with his puppy-dog eyes said in a pathetic tone, "Connor was missing you." He didn't really understand why his words had them all bursting out laughing, but he did appreciate it, especially since despite her struggle to contain her laugh and maintain her stern expression, he could see Cordy was weakening. Maybe he wouldn't get into that much trouble.  
  
"Its girls night, Angel," Cordy said, trying to sound reproving, "Remember what I said on the phone." She was trying really hard to be mad at him, but much as she hated to admit it, she had missed him and Connor.  
  
"But, Cordy…" he started, all set to begin begging. She held up her hand to stop him, and he silenced.   
  
She turned to look at the rest of the men behind him, and raised an eyebrow in question.  
  
"It was his idea," Gunn said immediately when her eye fell on him.  
  
"Yeah, it was the poof's plan all along," Spike confirmed hurriedly when she looked at him. He didn't know Cordy that well yet, but he knew not to cross her, especially since she prepared his blood.  
  
"We just came to make sure Connor was alright," Wesley added. That got another spate of giggles from the girls.  
  
"Traitors," Angel's low voice accused them all.  
  
"I can't believe how they keep using that poor baby as an excuse," Anya said.  
  
"Angel groveling is really funny," Dawn whispered to Willow.  
  
"They're all whipped, even Spike," Buffy added, not sure how she was supposed to feel about that.  
  
"You can come in," Cordelia said finally, after keeping them in suspense long enough to have all their heads bowed in shame, and she moved away from the door. She thought about yelling or something, but her head hurt too much to even consider it.   
  
They all rushed in before she changed her mind, and immediately Dawn commandeered Connor and took him to Cordy's bedroom to play, totally forgetting about the game she was so eager to participate in, just minutes ago. Within seconds she had joined Connor in sleep.  
  
"Since you are here, this means you have to play the game with us," Fred said, an evil look in her eye, one she picked up from Cordelia.  
  
"Game?" Spike asked curiously. Xander punched him, "Idiot, don't ask!" he told him, furiously, "This is going to go bad. I can just see it."  
  
"Wesley and I are going to finish our chess game," Giles told Fred, while Spike was being chewed out by Xander.  
  
"Okay," Buffy said before Fred could insist that they play. She really didn't want Giles to be part of this game. It was too weird. Like discussing your sex life with your father.  
  
Fred nodded in agreement, and went to consult with Willow for a second, before making some more space for them all to sit. The rest waited, talking softly among themselves, and Wesley and Giles set up their chess game in the one corner, far enough to miss most of the game but close enough to eavesdrop if they really wanted to.   
  
Angel stared at Cordy, something was wrong. She hadn't yelled yet, or said anything. She seemed relieved to see him. He watched her carefully, trying to spot what it was, but she seemed normal. Happy even. He saw her exchange a smile with Buffy, over Xander's protests to the game, and for a second it all seemed surreal.   
  
How had they all got here? Yesterday everyone was barely talking, and today Fred and Willow were joined at the hip, Dawnie hung on to every word Cordy said and the weirdest thing of all, his ex-girlfriend and his…for a second there his mind struggled with a word that would describe his relationship with Cordy…his…best friend, former self-proclaimed enemies were carrying on like they were sisters. Could his life get any weirder?  
  
"Don't tell me you wormed your way here only to brood?" Buffy's voice interrupted him.  
  
He turned and smiled at her, "Nope, just thinking how weird it is that you and Cordy are friends now," he teased.   
  
For a second there, the smile surprised her. She wasn't used to seeing it, or having him tease her, but when the shock passed, warmth filled her…this was right, this time they would be friends. "Strange, isn't it?" Buffy said to him, "I kind of like it. Don't tell her though."  
  
"Oh, I won't. I am glad though, Buffy," he said, turning serious.   
  
"Me, too, Angel," she said back to him.  
  
There was a silence, a comfortable one, one between friends.  
  
"So when are you going to tell her?" Buffy asked finally.  
  
He looked at her curiously, and she looked back, forcing him to admit, to acknowledge that he knew what she was referring to.   
  
"I'm not," he said softly, almost unsure.  
  
"You should," Buffy replied. Oh her life was seriously bizarre – giving love advice to the ex-love-of-her-life.  
  
Their conversation was interrupted by Fred's call. She made them all sit around in a circle, while they waited for the question.   
  
"Okay, here are the rules," Willow said in best announcer voice, "One question. Everyone gets a turn to answer and you have to tell the truth."   
  
"Alright," Spike said gleefully. He was the only one that didn't look slightly nervous. Truth was a scary business, "What's the question?"  
  
Willow looked at Fred, before stating, "You have to say exactly how many people you have slept with, and name them. In order."  
  
There was a variety of groans around the room.  
  
"Who wants to start?" Fred asked.  
  
"I think you two should. You came up with the plan," Xander said.  
  
"I don't want to go first," Fred protested.  
  
"Okay, I will. Its not like you'll don't know already," Willow said.  
  
"Yeah, where's the fun in that?" Spike asked, "I say we have Buffy go first." He had a wicked look on his face. Buffy threw a pillow at him, and stuck out her tongue.  
  
"Okay, that was weird. You have been spending too much time around Queen C," Xander said, when he saw that particular mannerism.  
  
"Hey!" it came from both Cordelia and Buffy.  
  
"Willow, start already, so we can get to the interesting ones," Anya cut in, "Xander, shut up."  
  
"Hey!" This time it came from Xander. He didn't look happy about the game. He really didn't want them all to know his sexual history.  
  
"Okay, I'm going. Two. And you'll already know who," Willow said, "Who's next?"  
  
"I'll go," Buffy said. Everyone looked surprised. Spike most of all, "Four," she said, and watched as Willow and Xander calculated in their minds, "Angel," exchanging a look with him, a nostalgic one, and despite herself, an apologetic one with Cordy, who bent her head, hiding her eyes, "Parker," and she flinched at the memory. Xander looked mad, and even Willow got a look of anger in her eyes. Buffy smiled at them reassuringly, to tell them she was fine, and continued, "Riley," and then she paused, laughing inwardly as she saw the curiosity in their eyes, and the dare in Spike's, "And Spike." She waited for the reactions. They didn't disappoint.  
  
Giles stood up angrily, and Wesley grabbed his arm and dragged him back down. Xander choked, spitting his drink out all over Anya, who looked distinctly unimpressed. "Spike!" He turned to glare at Spike, "What did you do?" Xander grabbed the front of Spike's shirt. He was in his protect-Buffy-mode.   
  
"Hey, she wanted it. I didn't make her do anything, mate," Spike said.  
  
"I am not your mate," Xander said furiously.  
  
Willow was looking worriedly at Buffy. She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it, not knowing exactly what to say.   
  
"You slept with Spike?" Cordy looked surprised. She needed clarification.  
  
"Yeah," Buffy replied.   
  
Cordelia looked worriedly at Angel, wondering how he was taking it. He didn't seemed upset. She looked closer, "You knew," it wasn't a question.  
  
Angel smiled, "Yes. Spike's pretty obvious. And I have known William for years. He isn't hard to figure out."  
  
"And you're not mad," Cordelia asked. This wasn't going right. No one was behaving the way they should.   
  
"We talked," Angel replied, smiling reassuringly at his anxious seer. He didn't say who he talked to. The conversation was interrupted by yelling.   
  
"You took advantage of her," Xander shouted, pushing Spike against the wall, "You knew she was vulnerable after we brought her back."   
  
"I made her feel again," Spike yelled back.  
  
Buffy moved to the middle of the two. She held Xander back, "It's okay, Xan. I'm fine. He didn't take advantage, I swear," she looked into his eyes, letting him see the truth. Xander let go of the front of Spike's shirt.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Willow asked.   
  
"I didn't know how. Things were difficult there for a while," Buffy replied, as they all sat back down, "Hard to bring the subject up."  
  
"You really okay?" Xander asked, wrapping his arms around Anya, taking comfort from her.  
  
"Yes, I am. I'm much better now, Xander. Now that you'll know." Xander nodded, and looked at Willow for confirmation.   
  
"Woah, Fred, girl. This game is really getting interesting," Gunn whispered into his girlfriend's ear.  
  
"Whose next?" Anya asked, "Xander, you go. I want to know yours."   
  
Xander blushed, and avoided his fiancé's probing eyes.  
  
"Yes, Xander, you go," Cordelia said from next to Angel, smiling mischievously at his discomfort.  
  
"Come on, Xander. We all know anyway," Buffy encouraged, glad to have the heat of her, and even gladder that she got to tell it before Spike spilled the beans.  
  
"Fine. Two," Xander said sulkily.   
  
"Two? You said you didn't sleep with Cordelia, Xander. You lied." Anya did not sound happy.  
  
"Not Cordy. Faith," Xander said avoiding Anya's glare.  
  
"Faith!" shouted both Anya and Cordy. Xander flinched.   
  
"What the hell were you thinking, Xander?" Cordelia exclaimed furiously. Angel started to frown. In his opinion, Cordy was overreacting. A thought occurred to him, what if she still loved him. Nah, that couldn't be it…she, wait she cried, when he…no, she definitely couldn't. He growled. Cordelia stopped concentrating on Xander and turned to look at him.  
  
"I'm sure Faith's fine, Angel. She couldn't have been too traumatized by Xander," Cordelia say comfortingly to him, patting him on the arm.  
  
"Is she really that dense?" Spike asked in a loud whisper to Gunn, Fred and Lorne who were all sitting near him.  
  
"You have no idea," Lorne whispered back.  
  
"Cordy's not dense," Fred defended loyally, "She's just…just…"  
  
"What? Stupid," Spike suggested.  
  
"No!" Fred sounded horrified, "A little misguided. That's all."  
  
"Please, Fred. Misguided? Jealousy, particular his, goes right over her head," Wesley commented, looking up from his chess game where he and Giles were shameless eavesdropping. "Sometimes I think it goes over his head as well."  
  
"Yeah, remember Groo, that was funny," Gunn started to laugh softly, at the memory of Angel mumbling about love and co-workers.  
  
"Personally I thought Lindsay was funnier," Lorne put in.  
  
"I have to vote for Lindsay too," Wesley added, "Angel was totally freaked when she said he was cute."   
  
"He did sing beautifully," Lorne said, in a faraway voice.  
  
"Cordy certainly thought so," Gunn put in.  
  
"I swear the two of them being so oblivious is beginning to wear me down. I want to hit them both over the head. Especially her, at the moment," Lorne snapped out of his day-dream. It was strange coming from Lorne who was usually the most patient person.  
  
"It's not totally her fault. He didn't tell her, either," Fred said.  
  
"That's true," Spike mused, "They're both idiots."  
  
By this time, Anya and Xander had begun another fight, when Anya named her number and began naming names.  
  
"I'm a thousand year old ex-demon, Xander. Of course I have had more boyfriends. You're being ridiculous."   
  
"How am I being ridiculous. I just found out my girlfriend has slept with half the demon world. How exactly am I supposed to react?" he yelled back.  
  
"Your, fiancé, Xander. Your fiancé who you are going to marry. And you knew what I was before I became human. You knew, that I was older. So you know what, you can go to hell." Anya said finally, her patience at its very end.  
  
"How about we all take a short break," Cordelia suggested calmly, in a peacemaker tone.  
  
"Yes, that's a good idea," Willow agreed.  
  
"Anya, Anya, I want to talk to you," Xander called after his fiancé who was now walking away towards the kitchen.  
  
"I don't want to talk to you," Anya replied stiffly.  
  
"Fine. Let's not talk then," Xander agreed and stormed away in the other direction.  
  
"Xander?" Buffy called, as we moved past her and Willow.  
  
He stopped.   
  
"You're being a little unreasonable, Xander ," Willow said to his back.  
  
"That's funny coming from you, Will. You hate Anya," Xander returned, turning around to face his friends.  
  
"That's not true, Xander," Willow said, "And even if it was, it wouldn't matter."  
  
"Why wouldn't it?" Xander questioned.  
  
"Because you love her," Buffy replied.  
  
"And you are going to marry her," Willow added.  
  
"She's not talking to me, right now. Don't see how that's going to happen."  
  
"But she will. As soon as you stop being a jerk and apologise," Buffy said. Xander looked unsure.  
  
"You're picking a fight, Xander," Willow said, "We know you, and you are running scared."   
  
"I'm not. Its just that…I'm getting married, and I feel sometimes I don't even know her," Xander looked at his best friends desperately, "I'm getting married, guys."   
  
"Yes. Yes, you are, Xander. And we both know you would have never asked her if you didn't totally love her," Buffy told him.  
  
"You'll have the rest of your lives to get to know each other, Xander," Willow said reassuringly, "Go tell her you're sorry."   
  
"Okay, you're right. I know you're right. Going now, " Xander said, and walked slowly towards Anya. The two of them watched as he spoke softly to her, and then pulled her into a hug.  
  
"There. All fixed," Willow said to Buffy.  
  
"Are we good or what?" Buffy smiled.  
  
"So good! The best," Willow said, and paused for second before adding in a scandalized tone, "Spike? Buffy!"  
  
"Wondering when you'd get round to that," Buffy replied.  
  
"Okay, guys. We're starting again," Fred called excitedly. This was great. She was learning all sorts of stuff about her new friends.  
  
TBC  
  
A/N - Hi. THanks for all the feedback. THis part might not be exactly what you'll were expecting, but i hope you like it. Let me know what you think please.  
  
Domino 


	7. Revelations

Chapter 7  
  
Everyone gathered around again. Anya was once again leaning into Xander, and this time Spike sat next to Buffy.   
  
"Cordy, you go," Fred called to her friend.  
  
"Mine's embarrassing," Cordelia said, "Really embarrassing."  
  
"Just tell us, already. Can't we worse than Buffy," Willow said, sending Spike a look.   
  
"Fine, but don't laugh," Cordelia replied, "One."  
  
"One. You've only slept with one person, but…" Buffy began, and then realized how that sounded.  
  
"Let's just say I haven't had the greatest experiences with sex, with the whole demon pregnancy thing," Cordelia replied.  
  
"Demon pregnancy?" Xander asked, his eyes wide.  
  
"Long story," Cordelia said, "Besides its all Angel's fault that I don't meet guys," she added, sending him a look.  
  
Angel smiled proprietarily. Cordelia didn't notice.  
  
"How is it his fault?" Anya asked curiously.  
  
"He gives all my, not-so-many dates the Spanish inquisition, scaring the hell out of them," Cordy replied, looking a tad annoyed.  
  
"I don't give them the Spanish inquisition, Cordy. I just make sure that you won't get hurt again."  
  
"Please! What exactly do you call it."  
  
"Its just a few questions, Cordy. I have given the Spanish Inquisition, and trust me when I say, its not even close," Angel told her, "And besides its not just me, Wesley helps, too."  
  
"He's right, we have performed to the Spanish Inquisition," Spike told the horrified Scoobies in an aside.  
  
"That's true, Wesley does help. But he isn't the one that scares the hell out of them." Cordelia said.  
  
"I…I…" Angel started to stutter.  
  
"See," said Cordelia, taking Angel's stuttering as guilt, "Brad told me you threatened to cut off a certain piece of his anatomy if he…how did he put it? Laid one finger on me."  
  
"I didn't…"   
  
"What? Say that? Please!"  
  
"Well, no, but he looked like a shady character. Didn't he, Wes?"   
  
Wesley ducked. "Why do they always do that? Bring me into their arguments," he muttered.  
  
He looked at the two, "Any chance I can stay out of this?" he asked, without much hope.  
  
"No," Angel and Cordy replied together.  
  
The rest of the room watched in amusement.  
  
"Well, tough. Angel, you threaten every guy she even looks at, and Cordy, you have really bad taste in guys," Wesley figured both of them were going to be mad at him anyway, he might as well go for broke.  
  
"Bad taste, Pfft! Well, that explains my temporary insanity when I kissed you, huh?" Cordelia said angrily.  
  
"What do you mean kissed. When the hell did you kiss Cordy?" Angel looked mad. Wesley took a step back.   
  
(A/N - I DON'T KNOW IF ANGEL KNOWS OR NOT, BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE FIC, ASSUME HE JUST FOUND OUT)  
  
"You kissed Cordy?" Fred asked, looking wide-eyed at Wesley.  
  
"Calm down, Angel. It was a long time ago. A really long time ago," Wesley said. He took another step back.  
  
"You kissed English?" Gunn looked shocked at Cordelia.  
  
"In Sunnydale," Cordelia replied. It didn't seem to calm Angel down. "It was just one kiss," she continued.  
  
"One kiss, only," Wesley repeated to Angel.  
  
"This is fun, I'm really liking this game," Spike said to the Scoobies.  
  
"Shhh," Willow told him, looking intently at Angel, Wesley and Cordelia.  
  
"Yeah, we decided that there was absolutely no chemistry, right Cordelia?" Wesley looked hopefully at Cordy. She considered his request for a second, and then sighing, laid a comforting hand on Angel's arm. He immediately calmed down.  
  
"No chemistry?" he asked, looking at Cordelia for a second.  
  
"Nope, not a bit," Cordelia replied cheerfully.  
  
"Okay," Angel said, and sat back down. Wesley gave a sigh of relief.  
  
"You go next, Angel," Cordelia said.  
  
Angel immediately looked uncomfortable.  
  
"I can't," he said, avoiding her gaze.  
  
Cordelia narrowed her eyes, "Why not?" He swallowed.  
  
"This ought to be good," Spike commented. He looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself, "You know, Red. You have some awfully good ideas." He told Willow.  
  
"Why not?" Cordelia repeated, more insistently.  
  
"I don't know how many," he said softly.  
  
"What? What the hell do you mean you don't know how many people you've slept with?" she yelled.  
  
"I'm 248 years old, Cordelia. I'm a vampire. Why should I have kept count?" he shouted back, still a little annoyed by the whole Wesley thing.  
  
"Anya remembered, and she's older than you," Cordelia yelled back.  
  
"Anya's a woman."  
  
"Fine. You know what, Angel, lets narrow it down, the last century. Can you at least give us the last century," Cordelia said angrily.  
  
Buffy looked curiously at Angel, waiting for his answer. She exchanged a look with Willow. Then turned to watch Cordelia who was staring intently at Angel for his answer.  
  
"Oh my God, You don't know, do you?" Cordy said incredulously, when he didn't answer. She was looking a lot more mad than any best friend had a right to be. They didn't notice that.  
  
"I had my soul, I wasn't celibate," Angel said to her softly.  
  
"What the hell are you saying? Angel?" Cordelia asked him, "You're supposed to be a eunuch. What about the curse?" she asked.  
  
"I'm not a eunuch. You know how the curse works, Cor. Perfect happiness. You're the one that insists on believing it means no sex," he said, a little angrily at the eunuch comment.  
  
"Are you telling me casual sex is fine. You can have casual sex with anyone," Cordelia looked like her whole world had fallen out, "Have you while we were in LA?"  
  
"No, of course I didn't. Except for Darla," he answered, a little shamefully. Cordelia flinched at the mention of Darla.  
  
"Oh, yes lets bring up that slut. Way to go there," Spike encouraged from the side, a little pleased at his grandsire's discomfort.  
  
"Let me get this straight. You can sleep with anyone you want to except Bu…," Cordelia said, ignoring Spike.  
  
"Except someone I love," Angel cut in, before she finished her sentence. Everyone in the room knew what he meant.  
  
"Anyone…even me," Cordelia asked. She was still looking a little shellshocked.  
  
"N….N…No, I can't sleep with you," Angel replied, stuttering. He would have blushed if his blood flowed. For a second there she a hurt expression appeared in her eyes, before it was covered by anger.  
  
"No, what do you mean no, why the hell can't you sleep with me. Aren't I good enough?" She looked at him for an answer but it was his turn to appear surprised. If they were being honest, he didn't have a clue what she was talking about.   
  
"You know, some people actually think I am pretty," Cordelia said a little cuttingly and turned to look at the room for clarification, looking at Wesley for a second, "Okay, not him," her eye moved to Xander, "And he obviously didn't think so," she moved along, sweeping the rest of the room in a glance, "Alright, so no one in this room, but some people out there," she waved her hand in a grand gesture, before giving Angel a glare and stalking out.  
  
"Cordy, Cordy," he called in panic after her. What on earth just happened. He followed her into the kitchen, tripping over the coffee table in his hurry to get there.  
  
"She really doesn't have a clue?" Willow said incredulously, "How can that be? We all know, and we have only been here 1 day."  
  
"Does he usually turn into such a… dork when talking to her?" Xander asked. "What's with all the stuttering?"  
  
"Usual Angel behavior, I'm afraid," Wesley replied.  
  
"Yeah, when she's in the area, his brain and his tongue don't connect too well," Gunn added, looking a little amused.   
  
Spike started to laugh. "What?" he asked when Buffy glared at him, "Come on, its funny. Right now he's in there stumbling over some explanation as to how he wants to sleep with her, without saying he's head over heels, and making it worse."   
  
They all glared at him.  
  
"You know he is," Spike said, laughing again.  
  
Gunn couldn't help himself. He started to laugh. "He's probably right."  
  
Fred hit Gunn on the arm, "Stop it. Its not funny. Cordy thinks no one wants to sleep with her, and Angel's been lying to her. Plus he mentioned the D-word. She's really mad." She looked worriedly at the kitchen.   
  
"Come on…there's no way the Cordelia thinks that. She knows her assets," Buffy said, a little spitefully. She couldn't help it. She and Cordy were becoming friends but it didn't just happen in one day. A doubt occurred to her, She looked at Fred, a little guiltily "Doesn't she?"   
  
"Well, look at it from the princess's point of view. He just said he didn't find her attractive, and that…" Lorne began, before he was shushed by the room, as Cordelia walked back into the living room trying to avoid Angel who was hot on her heels trying to explain.  
  
"Damn it, Cordelia Chase. Will you listen to me for a second?" he demanded to her back, now equally furious as her. They both didn't notice the room full of curious onlookers.   
  
She whirled around, "I. Don't. Want. To. Talk. To. You. Now," Cordelia told him slowly through gritted teeth, "Go Away. I have guests."  
  
"No," Angel looked her directly in the eyes.  
  
"No? What do you mean no?"   
  
"We are going to talk about this. And this time you are going to listen to me," Angel said firmly.  
  
"Okay, this is getting good," Buffy whispered to Spike.  
  
"Looks like we didn't miss much while they were in the kitchen," Spike whispered back.  
  
"Shhh," Fred told them both.  
  
"No." This time it was Cordelia's turn to give a negative answer, "We don't have to talk about this anymore," suddenly she looked really tired, "Look, its okay, Angel. You don't have to apologise..."  
  
Angel opened his mouth to speak, but she continued, "It's alright, you know. I know you don't see me that way, and we are best friends, and you don't think I am attractive..." Angel started to laugh. He couldn't help it.  
  
"You'd better not be laughing at me, Mister," Cordelia poked her finger in his chest, and glared at him. As sudden as the laughter appeared it disappeared.  
  
"You're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, Cordy, in all of my life - the live and the undead part," he said, as serious as she had ever seen him.   
  
"You... you..." she couldn't think of anything to say. For the first time in her life she was speechless. She looked disbelieving at him.  
  
"Look, the stuttering is contagious," Xander commented.  
  
"You don't have to lie to me," Cordy said finally, swallowing hard. She looked into his eyes and felt like she was drowning. This was much harder than it should be.  
  
Lorne groaned, "Shoot me now. Put me out of my misery," he cried.  
  
"I think you may have had some merit in the idea of hitting them both over the head," Wesley said.   
  
Angel wasn't looking that happy either, "Are you kidding me, Cordelia? You think I am lying to you? You want to know why I can't sleep with you?" The rest of the room all notice his use of 'can't' instead of 'won't', except for Cordelia.  
  
"I know why already. You don't feel that way inclined towards me – I mean its obvious I am not blonde. Its okay, Angel. I get it. I really do. I'm your best friend, and maybe I was acting a little ridiculous even suggesting we sleep together. I mean can you imagine…so completely off base, and with Buffy here, and Xander and the rest, maybe I was feeling a little insecure…" she trailed of, when she saw the dubious look on his face, which started with the word blonde, turn to anger.  
  
"Here we go with the best friend thing again. We so need to move on," even Anya sounded impatient.  
  
"Are you blind?" Angel demanded, "I mean, how is it possible for the most perceptive person I know, someone whose an actual seer, to be that damn blind, huh?"   
  
"We want to know as well," Gunn commented on the side, and several nods agreed with him.  
  
"Don't yell me. Why are you yelling at me. I am not the one that was being mean, and insulting his best friend, now was I? And I am not blind?" Cordelia shouted back at him.  
  
"You know why I can't sleep with you. Because I love you. I. Love. You. Cordelia. Chase." With each word Angel took a step forward and Cordy a step backwards. Almost in instinct. A dance.  
  
Cordelia stared at him for a second, she looked shocked for an instant, then her face cleared, "You mean like a best friend, right?"  
  
This time the whole room groaned, not just Lorne. And Angel he growled.   
  
"I give up," he said, moving away from her, and throwing his hands in the air, before closing in again, "No, Cordy…I love you. Love. As in passion. Getting happy. Turning into Angelus. Love."   
  
Spontaneous applause broke out through out the room, finally catching the attention of the two of them. Cordelia turned to look at them, "You all knew?" It was a question.  
  
"Princess, everyone knew. The bad guys knew. Wolfram and Hart knew. Every single person/demon/ and lawyer knew. You were the only person clueless," Lorne told her.   
  
"I need to sit," Cordelia said to the surprise of everyone. And then she did. Slid down the wall till she was sitting on the floor.   
  
Angel stared at her waiting for a reaction. He looked nervous now, that he had got it all out.   
  
"What?" Cordelia finally said softly.   
  
Angel looked at her sitting there looking a little forlorn, and moved to sit next to her. Instinctively she leaned into him. It gave him hope.   
  
"I love you, Cor. I am in love with you," he said, repeating it to make sure she got it. It was easy to say now, once it had finally come out. He tested it on his lips and repeated it again. He like the sound of it.  
  
"Its about damn time," Spike announced to the room. Cordelia and Angel didn't hear him.  
  
"Hear, hear," Giles said.  
  
"Kye-rumption," Fred said proudly, as if she had created it.  
  
"I think she finally got it," Wesley said to Lorne about Cordelia.  
  
"One hopes," Lorne replied darkly. He wasn't taking bets on the two of them. They were quite dense.  
  
"How?" Cordy asked. She couldn't quite wrap her head around the thought of Angel loving her. It didn't seem possible. He loved Buffy. He always had. She came second best…that's the way it had always been. Maybe he was confused, she thought. No – another voice inside her spoke up, he seemed sure.   
  
"How what? How did I fall in love with you?" Angel asked, still speaking softly to her, "That part was easy. It just happened. Loving you, Cordy, its the easiest things I have ever done. You're my humanity, my hope, everything," he said to her.  
  
Cordelia felt her heart well at his words. He actually meant them, oh God. Angel loved her. She glanced at him, sitting next to her on the floor, his hand stroking her hair softly, waiting for her to talk to him, and she knew, in that single second, how she felt, how she had always felt, and as she opened her mouth to tell him, just then to remind her of the futility of the situation, a sharp pain went through her.   
  
In agony she grabbed her head and moaned, and because she was so distracted she didn't have a chance to hide the pain. Angel immediately panicked and held her in his arms.   
  
"Cor?" he called anxiously.   
  
"Is it a vision, Cordelia?" Giles asked innocently not knowing how much worse those were.  
  
"I don't think so," Fred answered Giles, looking worried.  
  
Cordelia shook her head trying to force the pain back. It was a sign, she knew. She had to get out of here. With that, Cordelia pushed her way out of his arms and ran to the door. She couldn't let him see.  
  
Angel, moving once he got over his shock at her sudden departure, got up and followed, while a room full of worried eyes tracing their actions.  
  
"Dammit, Dennis. Let me out," Cordelia was having an argument with her ghost. He blocked her exit. Suddenly, the her bedroom door opened. "Dennis, Nooooooooooo!" she screamed as she raced across the living room, over sprawled people to get there first.  
  
"What's going on?" Xander asked.  
  
"Is she okay?" Willow queried, looking at Angel Investigations team.  
  
"I don't know," Wesley answered.  
  
"Something's up," Angel said, attempting to catch her, "Something she doesn't want Dennis to tell us."   
  
"It must be bad," Gunn said, exchanging a look with Fred, the Scoobies all but forgotten in light of Cordy's strange behavior.  
  
"Really bad," Fred replied, "Dennis is loyal to Cordy. He wouldn't do this if it wasn't something bad."  
  
They all watched as the one-side argument moved back into the living room, as Cordelia chased a floating box.  
  
"Cor?" Angel asked softly. It was insistent, and with that she stopped.  
  
"I didn't want you to know. It wasn't supposed to be like this," she slid to the floor again. He moved to sit next to her.  
  
"This wasn't supposed to happen," Cordelia said again, "I wasn't going to tell you. You weren't supposed to…" she trailed of.  
  
"What, Cor? Love you. Well I do, tell me what's going on, please," Angel pleaded, the panic in his eyes growing at her desolation.  
  
"It was just going to happen. No one could stop it, you know. I …I didn't want anything to change, I didn't want you to brood, or Wesley, and Gunn to be distracted, and Fred – it would have been easier…I just thought it would be easier," she looked up at him, looking for something, a confirmation that she was right not to tell them. She was speaking so softly, they could hardly hear her, but all of them were hooked on her words.   
  
"Dennis knew…he snooped, and he insisted I tell but I wouldn't, and…I made him promise, so…"  
  
"He forced the issue," Fred said softly. Cordelia nodded.  
  
"Cor?" the small voice came from Angel. He looked at her to make everything better as always. This time, she couldn't.  
  
She stood up and turned away from him. She couldn't look into his eyes and say this. "Angel, I am so sorry…I didn't know…I didn't know. You were okay, and we were happy, and I just couldn't spoil it. And after Buffy died, you…went on, and I just couldn't drop this on you as well," the words came rushing out.  
  
Everyone in the room felt a sinking feeling. They stayed silent, not wanting to admit it, waiting for her to say the words they knew were coming, words they had been denying. The Scoobies sat somewhat to the side, part of the room, but outside the family.   
  
"This is bad," Buffy said softly to herself, as she watched Cordelia take a deep breathe and say the words.  
  
"I'm dying."   
  
For a minute the words hung in the air. No one dared make a sound. Wesley, Gunn and Fred looked stunned, and Angel – Buffy couldn't describe the look on his face.   
  
He started to shake his head in denial, "No, Cor, you're not. You can't die. We'll fix it, we'll fix…" Angel said. She bent down, kneeled in front of him and took his hands in hers, "Yes, Angel I am. And you can't fix it," she told him, her voice straining. His eyes filled, "Cor, you can't die, you can't die," he leaned forward and buried his face in her chest. Her eyes wrapped around him tightly, and she held him, as the soft sound of sobbing was heard through the room.   
  
Fred crawled over the floor, and reached over and hugged Cordelia from behind, her arms grabbing tightly onto her friend. Cordy turned her head slightly and kissed her on the forehead in comfort, and then Gunn and Wesley reached over and from either side, and wrapped their arms around the trio. Lorne joined them.  
  
And for minutes the group just sat there, not moving holding on to each, holding on to her, refusing to let go. The Scoobies sat silently, each buried in their own thought of sorrow, and denial, watching as the Angel Investigations family surrounded itself and coped with dealing with news.  
  
"Maybe we should leave," Willow asked softly.  
  
"I don't think we should," Giles said, "We can help. We need to help."  
  
"How can she be dying?" Buffy questioned, shock, and sorry lacing her tone. She turned instinctively to Spike, looking at him to fix it. Memories of her mother came flooding into her, as she watched Cordy deal with her family. It was the same. The same strength. She reached for Spike.  
  
"I don't know, pet," and for once Spike didn't sound amused. His voice was perfectly serious.  
  
"I don't want Cordelia to die, like Joyce," Anya said to Xander in a small child-like voice, "Don't let her die, Xander. Everyone will be sad. I don't like it when everyone's sad. "   
  
Xander wrapped his arms around his fiancé and said grimly, "We won't. We'll fix it, right guys. There must be something we can do, something to fix it," he sounded desperate. This was Cordelia, the first girlfriend he had ever had.   
  
"Right," and this time, Buffy sounded more like herself. Strong. She could be strong. She looked at Cordelia again, the six of them encircled. And suddenly tears welled up.   
  
"Its okay to cry, pet," Spike told her gently.   
  
"No, its not," Buffy cried softly, "I don't have any right to cry. Look at them. They can cry, not me. Not me."   
  
"Me either," Willow said softly, and then in spite of her words, she teared up. The two girls held each other as tears fell. Spike stood to the side, not doing anything, not saying any more. He didn't cry, and he didn't leave. He waited.  
  
TBC  
  
A/N  
  
Hello. I was a bit worried about this part, particularly since emotions are difficult to write...let me know what you think, or if you think i should change anything  
  
Domino 


	8. Ten Months...and Counting

Chapter 8  
  
  
It was some time before any of them let go. And even after, Angel held onto to Cordelia tightly. Wesley kept cleaning his glasses, and Gunn held his hands in fists.   
  
"We are going to research," Wesley said fiercely, retreating as always to books. Giles nodded fervently, showing his support.  
  
"I already did, Wes. Its…too late – there's nothing you can do," Cordelia smiled sadly at him.   
  
"Don't say that. Don't say that, you never ever give up. You said so. You're not supposed to say that," Fred cried out.  
  
"Oh honey, I wish it was different, I wish things could be different, but…" she trailed of, looking at the floor intently, not knowing how to make it better.   
  
"How long?" Angel asked, "How long have you known?"   
  
Cordelia ducked her head, "Does it matter?"   
  
"How long, Cordy," he repeated, more insistently.  
  
She didn't answer.  
  
"Damn it, Cordy. How long?" he demanded. He needed to know. The others waited as well for her answer.  
  
"Ten months," she answered finally softly. Several gasps were heard.  
  
"Oh God!" Wesley said, and dropped his glasses. Buffy picked them up, happy to be able to do something.   
  
"Ten months, Barbie. You've known for 10 months. And what? It never occurred to you to tell us, I thought we were family, Cordy. Family, Cordy. " Gunn sounded hurt.  
  
Angel didn't say a word. "You knew when I fired you, didn't you?" he said. It wasn't a question. Wesley, and Gunn's faces changed, from hurt to understanding. The Scoobies stayed confused.   
  
"Yes," she looked at him then.  
  
"Why didn't you say something?" he asked.  
  
She got angry then. "Like what, Angel. Oh by the way, I know you're obsessed with Darla, but can you take a time-out and hold my hand while I die from the visions I get for your redemption," she shouted at him. He flinched.  
  
"You know what I would have heard - that you don't care. That you didn't care to stay with me," Cordelia voice choked. They had never talked about it, that period when he left them. They just moved on.  
  
Just as easy as it arose, the anger disappeared. "I was going to tell you then, you know. I was trying to get the courage to break it to you, but you didn't want to hear anything then."   
  
Angel was standing further away from her now. "I would have cared, Cordy. I always cared. I was self-destructing then, and I wanted you as far away from me as possible. You know how sorry I am for that, you know," he asked her desperately.  
  
"I know, Angel," she moved closer to him and laid an hand on his arm, "It took me a long time to forgive you for that. But I needed you, I always did, and when we got you back, it was too new, I just didn't want to spoil it all."  
  
"And then Pylea happened," Lorne said softly.   
  
"Yes," Cordy said.  
  
Comprehension dawned on Fred, "That's what Groo meant, didn't he? About the visions. Why didn't you…?" Angel's face darkened at the mention of the Groosalog.  
  
"Why didn't I Com-shuck?" Cordelia chuckled at the blush on Fred's face, "I didn't want to give them up. They were mine." She said the last bit fiercely, daring anyone to question her decision.   
  
"What are you talking about, Fred?" Angel asked, "What do you mean give them up?"   
  
"The prophecy, it was your way out, wasn't it?" Wesley said, catching on.  
  
"Yeah. I didn't take it."   
  
""Why, girl? You knew. And you said you loved him. It wouldn't have been like…com-shucking with a stranger," Gunn asked. She didn't reply and he didn't really need her to, "Because of Angel," he answered his own question.  
  
"What the hell are you'll talking about?" Angel yelled to catch their attention.   
  
"I want to know as well," Willow said.   
  
"Is com-shuck like kye…what was it? Kye-rumption?" Anya asked.  
  
"It doesn't matter, Angel," Cordelia told him.  
  
He opened his mouth to ask, but he didn't want to fight with her. Not now. Not ever.  
  
"And then when we got home, we heard about… " Wesley continued the timeline.  
  
"You heard that I died," Buffy said softly. She looked apologetically at Cordelia.  
  
Cordelia didn't say anything, there wasn't anything to say.  
  
"You let me leave for 3 months. What if…" he didn't even finish his thought, unable to think it through any further.  
  
"You were grieving, Angel. You had to grieve. I could hardly spring it on you at the time," Cordy said.   
  
"You could have said something to us, Cordelia. You should have," Wesley looked angry now.   
  
"What would you have done, Wes, Gunn, huh?" Cordy asked them, "You would have brought him home. Tell me you wouldn't."   
  
"Maybe we would have, but we should have known. You didn't have to go through it on your own," Wesley said to her.  
  
"Maybe I needed to believe it wasn't real. I needed to be strong, Wes. I couldn't break down," Cordelia said.  
  
"We can be strong for you sometimes, Cor. You don't always have to be strong one," Angel told her.  
  
"Yes, yes I do, Angel. If I don't, everything falls apart. It all falls apart," she whispered the last few words.  
  
"Oh baby, come here," Angel pulled her into his arms, "We'll fix it. We will."   
  
"I wish you could, Angel. I wish you could." The longing in her voice tore them all apart.  
  
"Cordy…" Wes said, trying to tell her to not give up.  
  
She understood. She always did. She opened her mouth to tell him, but Fred interrupted.  
  
"You've prepared for it, didn't you. That's why you made me learn how to answer the phones, and made sure I knew how to make Angel's blood, and Wesley's tea and Gunn's Cocoa. You were preparing us for your death," Fred sounded like her world had fallen out, "And you made sure Gunn learnt how to do the books, and how to get Wesley to come out of his office, and how to drag Angel out of his room."   
  
It was a question, but Cordelia's face gave her away.  
  
"Oh, princess. That's why you were teaching me all of Connor's favourite things, and how to make Fred stop writing on the wall or …you were making sure we were ready for you to die," Lorne said shocked.  
  
"Cor…how could you?" Angel's desperate voice made her look up from where she was gazing intently at the floor.  
  
"Do you think I want to die, huh?" Cordelia didn't wait for an answer, "I…I'm 20 years old. Twenty. I didn't get to do anything I planned. Twenty," she repeated, "I don't, you know. Want to die. I know I'll never get to be famous, or get married or have children or…" silent tears ran down her face, and soft crying could be heard in the room, as the others took her words in.  
  
Angel buried his face into her neck, tightening his hold, guilt overcoming him. And as always she knew, "Its okay, you know. I accepted it. Took me some time, but I did. And then I realised, I was lucky. I had you, all of you," she looked at her family in the eyes all of them, and lifted Angel's face, forcing him to see her.   
  
"I had you. And it didn't matter that I never got to be famous…I got to save people. And it was fine that I will never get married, because I had you, Angel. I didn't need a normal life, because I had my family. And its was okay that'll I'll never have children, because they give me Connor. He may not be mine, Angel, but just for a little while I got to share him with you, and pretend," Cordy spoke reverently, trying to comfort him with her words.  
  
"He is yours, you know, Cor," Angel spoke, "He always was your son, and we all know that you're his mother," he said it in the present tense deliberately.  
  
"You don't have to say that, Angel. I appreciate it, I do, but its not necessary. I always knew I was temporary,"  
  
"Don't say that, Cordy. Don't ever talk like that. You are not temporary. You're everything. How can you just accept it like this?" he asked her angrily.   
  
"Angel," she called out to calm him down, "You want to know why. Fine, I'll tell you why - I lived on a hellmouth, Angel. Everyday I survived was a good day. And I knew, even if I never admitted it, that I could die at anytime. And on some days it got close. Really close. But I survived, and you know what I realised, one day?" she paused, and he looked imploringly at her to explain it to him.  
  
"I was lying in the hospital, a rebar through my stomach, and God it hurt," Cordelia shut her eyes at the memory, and Willow and Xander froze at the thought of it.  
  
She opened her eyes again, and held his gaze, "And I was all alone. All alone, Angel and I knew if I had died, no one would care, no one would grieve. My parents didn't even visit me in the hospital. I almost gave up that day, but I refused to give them the satisfaction," for a second her stubbornness showed through, " Its okay to die now, Angel. This time there are people who love me, and will miss me. I wanted you'll to cope, that's all. I served some purpose in my life, it wasn't just empty," she wiped away her tears furiously. She didn't like to cry. "Do you understand now?" she pleaded, begging him to understand.  
  
Wesley swallowed with difficulty, and Gunn buried his face in his girlfriend's arms, pushing tears back, at Cordy's heartfelt plea. Angel's eyes filled with pain, before they intensified again, with strength.   
  
"Alright, Cor," he told her, "But, you have to understand about me, about us, I…we…we can't just give you up like that. I almost lost you, more than once, Cordelia Chase," he took her face in his broad palms, "And I am not prepared to do it. Again. Ever," he silently promised her, "We will find a way out, okay?" The rest of them nodded in agreement, showing their support.  
  
"Okay!" She whispered back, "Okay. You can look."   
  
He wrapped his arms around her tightly, as if just that hold would keep her with him. And she returned the hug.  
  
"I would have grieved, Cordelia," Xander said softly from behind, "I was an idiot back then, but I would have grieved." She turned in Angel's arms, and reached for her former boyfriend. And hugged him tightly.   
  
"Thank you for that, Xander," she said in his ear.  
  
"Don't you dare die on us, Cordelia Chase," he ordered her, leaning back to look into her eyes.  
  
"Yeah," Willow seconded from behind, "I would hate to have to deal with a broody vampire again." And she wrapped her sometimes friend in her slim arms.  
  
"I'll try. Wouldn't want you have to drag his broodiness out his room," Cordy smiled through her tears.  
  
"That goes double for me," Buffy declared, taking her turn.  
  
"You'll take care of him, and Connor," Cordelia whispered to Buffy, as she hugged her. It wasn't a request.  
  
"I promise." An understanding passed between the two girls, who had, for the better part of their acquaintance, been enemies, between two woman who recognized death and suffering more than most, between two woman who both loved the same man…pire, between two people who knew what destiny and fate meant…what being a chosen one entailed.   
  
Buffy wiped her eyes, "It won't be necessary though," she said, a firm surety in her voice, "You don't get to die. No easy way out for you, Queen C," she smiled at Cordelia. And Cordelia smiled back.  
  
"Of course not," she replied. Life was ironic like that. And she knew no one understood it better than Buffy.  
  
"Research now," Giles said, being supportive in the only way he knew how.   
  
"Yes, we will find an answer in the books. We always do," Anya told her, looking positive now that everyone had stop crying. She gave Cordelia a quick hug, and then stepped back self-consciously.  
  
"What about Girls Night?" Cordelia sniffed, too many tears today.  
  
Everyone in the room looked at her like she was crazy.  
  
"We'll do it another time," Fred said, optimism back in her tone  
  
"I'm sorry I ruined it for you, Fred," Cordy told her. She knew how much Fred had put into their impromptu slumber party.  
  
"You didn't ruin anything, you never do," Fred reassured her, and for the first time their roles were reversed and Fred was the comforter, not the one being taken care of.   
  
"Research party," Xander said, forced cheer in his voice.  
  
"Yeah, know how much you love those," Cordelia said sarcastically, feeling a little better.  
  
"For you, Cordy, anything," Xander wrapped an arm around her shoulders companionably.  
  
"Alright, that's enough touching from you," Angel growled at him, and Xander hurriedly dropped his hand, causing the room to burst into laughter. And all the tension melted away for those few happy seconds.  
  
"See what I mean," Cordelia giggled, referring to Angel's overprotective behaviour.  
  
"Hey," Angel said good-naturedly, happy that she was smiling again. Real smiles.   
  
She looked up at him, and gave him her 100watt smile, the one that, if he had a heart, it would skip a beat, "Did I mention that I love you, my broody guy," she said possessively.  
  
"Like a best friend?" he threw her words back at her jokingly, doing all he could to keep her happy, pretending like she wanted.  
  
The whole room groaned at his joke.  
  
"Shoot me now," Lorne said, repeating his earlier words.  
  
Cordy laughed. "Nope," and she tossed her hair, "Love. As in passion. The forever kind. The make you happy kind. The turn my boyfriend into a evil psychopath if I sleep with him kind," she said, twirling her arms around his neck.  
  
"Oh, that kind," he leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers, "So I'm your boyfriend now, am I?"  
  
"Depends," she replied.  
  
"On what?" Angel asked, smiling slightly.  
  
"Whether or not you are going to shut up and kiss me," she replied.  
  
"Your wish is my command, milady," Angel said, just before he leaned in and proceeded to thoroughly kiss her.  
  
Cheers and whistles broke out.  
  
"Its about damn time," Wesley said.  
  
He walked to the door, opened it, and looked at the group who surrounded the two, "How about we start without them? We can go to the hotel," he suggested.  
  
"I'm with you, mate. So don't need to see peaches and the cheerleader go at it," Spike said, walking out with a sleeping Dawn in his arms.  
  
"Yeah, I figure we can give them some time alone," Fred said, and dragged a protesting Gunn out the room.  
  
A box floated towards them, and hit Wesley on the shoulder.  
  
"Sorry, Dennis. Forgot," Wes told the ghost, apologetically.  
  
Gunn picked up the box and carried out.  
  
"What about Connor?" Buffy asked.  
  
"He's sleeping. Dennis will take care of him," Lorne replied, following Fred and Gunn.  
  
The rest followed, until the apartment was empty except for two former best friends wrapped in each others arms, a sleeping baby, and a somewhat relieved ghost babysitting a sleeping child.  
  
TBC  
  
  
A/N  
  
You guys give the greatest feedback. Thank you...i hope you like this part.  
  
Domino 


	9. A New Dawn

The Visit (9/?)   
Chapter 9  
  
The group sat in a circle, books surrounding them, the box in the middle.  
  
Wesley opened it, and paused, taking in its contents. He swallowed hard for a second, before pushing back all his emotions and pulling out what lay inside.   
  
"What are those?" Willow asked, pointing to the large envelopes   
  
Fred opened them, and pulled out black sheets. They were all dated.   
  
"X-rays of her brain. Catscans," she said to them, and studied them carefully.   
  
Wesley was looking at the various pill bottles lying loose in the bag.  
  
"I can't believe we didn't know," Gunn said.   
  
"It looks really bad," Wesley said, "These are strong stuff. Really strong."   
  
"I remember reading about some of these during Watcher Training," Giles agreed with Wesley, as he took a few bottles in his hand and studied them.  
  
"Humans are not suppose to receive the visions. They are not meant for them," Anya told them. Wesley began handing out books.   
  
"What do you mean, Anya?" Xander turned to ask his girlfriend. He was having a hard time taking all of this in.  
  
"I don't know much about it, but I can only remember two humans that received them, and it didn't turn out good for them," Anya said.  
  
"What happened to them?" Wesley asked, a bad feeling in his gut.  
  
"The back of their skulls blew out," Anya said. The room flinched, "Both died less than a year after they received them."   
  
"A year?" Buffy said, "Doesn't Cordy have them for over two years already?" She looked at Wesley for an answer. She didn't even notice her use of Cordelia's nickname.   
  
"Yes she does," he replied absent-mindedly paging through some books.  
  
"I found it," Giles shouted next to him, "Cordelia has a post-it here, she must have read all this already," he said, rapidly reading it, "It says…" he trailed of, his expression waning.  
  
"Says what, man?" Gunn asked impatiently. Giles looked up, and faced him.  
  
"Not good. What Anya said, it happened. Their brains blew out. No cure," he answered sadly.  
  
"Well, I refuse to accept that," Fred said firmly, grabbing Gunn's hand, and giving him support.  
  
"I agree. Cordy lasted this long with them," Willow said, nodding furiously.  
  
"Yes, she did," Giles agreed, "Don't know how she did though. According to this, humans aren't meant to last longer than a…"  
  
"Don't talk like that," Buffy snapped, "She Cordelia. Not some human."  
  
"I'm sorry," Giles apologised, "Its just that, I think she has found a way to deal with it. To somehow move through it. Its pretty severe, and she hid it from all of you for so long."  
  
"I guess even Barbie isn't strong enough to hide it forever," Gunn said sadly.  
  
"And even princesses can't delay the inevitable," Lorne added.  
  
"It isn't inevitable," Xander protested fiercely, "Don't ever say that. We'll start looking, and we'll find it," his voice dropped several decibels, "We always do."  
  
There was a moment of silence, then Wesley said strongly, "We'll go over everything. I know Cordy said that she already researched, but maybe we'll find something new, that she missed. Fred, you take the computers, Lorne, Gunn go out and check out your contacts. We'll make Cordy sing for you as soon as she gets back. Willow, see if you can find some healing spells, or something. Spike, you and Buffy go and check out the Magic Shops in LA – Spike you know where they are, right? Anya, you and Giles hit the books with me, and Xander…" Wesley stopped his list of his instructions, thinking for a second, "Xander…you go do whatever it is you do," he finished up. No one thought to question the orders, a scene so different from just a few years ago.  
  
Fred was already in front of the computer, while Willow had her laptop on her lap, and a bunch of wicca books around her. She was on the phone, speaking to Tara, explaining the situation. Spike grabbed his coat, helped Buffy with hers, and the two of them headed out, Lorne and Gunn following them.   
  
The rest opened books, searching for a clue, or anything that would help, that could save her.  
  
It was a long night, a depressing one, where very little seemed to give any hope. Xander helped with books, ran errands, and brought food regularly. He made at least four trips to the all-night café at the corner to buy tacos for Fred.   
  
A couple hours after the research began, Angel and Cordy walked back into the hotel, the sleeping baby in Cordy's arms, while Angel had his arm wrapped protectively around her waist.  
  
Wesley and Giles, with Angel standing silently in the background immediately interrogated Cordelia, getting every detail out of her, of the doctors prognosis, of the research, of the people she had asked for help, about everything. She answered all their questions, and then hugged Wesley he finally realized that she had tried everything, and nothing had been found.   
  
When she covered a yawn with her hand, Angel insisted she go up to bed and sleep. For once, she didn't argue. He escorted her upstairs. When he came back down, he grabbed his sword, and headed for the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Wesley's voice stopped him.  
  
"To make it stop," Angel replied without turning around.  
  
"You're going to the PTB," Wesley stated.   
  
"Yes, I got the location from Lorne," he said.  
  
"You know she won't be happy when she finds out," Wesley told him.  
  
"She'll be alive. That's all that matters," Angel returned. He looked at Wesley in the eyes, "Are you going to stop me?"   
  
Wesley considered it for a second, "No," he answered slowly, and deliberately, "She can be furious as she wants, so long as she's alive."   
  
"She's all that matters," Angel agreed, nodding solemnly.  
  
"Okay, then," Wesley turned and walked back into his office, and   
Angel walked out the door.  
  
Xander watched the entire exchange, before he turned too, walked up to his girlfriend, and wrapped her in his arms, "Did I tell you today, Anya that I love you?" he whispered softly in her ear.  
  
"Not in the last hour, no," she moved her head and met his lips halfway, kissing him softly, "I love you too, Xander. She's going to be fine, we'll find it," she reassured him.  
  
"I know," he leaned against her.   
  
The room quieted again, where the only sounds were the rustling of pages, and the occasional beep from the computers.   
  
Spike and Buffy were the first to return. The two of them had visited every magic store that they knew existed, waking many of the owners up in their quest, and after a night of hearing wiccans and healers all over the city show no hope, they both looked slightly demolished.  
  
Lorne returned with Gunn soon after. They, too didn't look happy having had to return empty handed as well.   
  
Angel stumbled in a few hours later. He was bruised and pretty beat up, and didn't look good. With the intuition she was known for, when it came to the ensouled vampire, it was at this point that Cordelia decided to come down the steps, just in time to watch her vampire collapse on the lobby stairs.  
  
"What happened?" she cried in panic, rushing to his side. Everyone sprang into action, Fred grabbing the first aid kit and Gunn getting blood from the fridge. Spike and Wesley lifted the limp vampire up and placed him on the couch where Cordelia started cleaning him up, all the while lecturing over getting hurt, while Angel just lay there and let her do her thing. The Scoobies watched, having never seen this side of her, of him before.   
  
"I'm sorry," Angel said to her, catching and holding her eye.  
  
"What did you do, Angel?" she asked him, knowing the answer already.  
  
"I had to, Cor. I can't lose you. I just can't," his voice was desperate. He didn't even seem to notice his injuries, or the pain.  
  
"I told you not to," she said, her expression stern, belied by the gentle touch of her hands touching and healing his injuries.  
  
"I know," he told her, "I had to try."   
  
"And now you know," she said. It was the finality in her voice that had a tear seeping out his eye. She reached up with her fingers and tenderly cleared it a way.  
  
"Okay, then. You need sleep. Come on, lets get you to bed," she said firmly, her voice normal again.   
  
"I don't want to," he replied petulantly, sounding very much like a little boy who was told it was his bedtime.  
  
"You want to do stupid things, now you have to pay for them," she said unrepentantly, "Spike, help him up, and make sure he stays there," she ordered the other vampire.   
  
Spike immediately followed her orders. It was the tone, the one that booked no argument that had him moving. Angel, allowed himself, newly bandaged to be helped up the stairs, pouting the entire way.  
  
"Come with me," Angel requested, as he leaned on Spike at the head of the stairs.  
  
She turned to face him and smiled softly, "In a minute, okay."   
  
The pout turned into a grin, as the two vampires disappeared from sight.  
  
Cordelia turned to face Wesley, "You let him go?" It was phrased as a question, but it wasn't one.  
  
Wesley stood his ground this time, "Yes."   
  
Cordelia opened her mouth to yell at him, but looked into his sorrow-filled eyes, and changed her mind, "Now you know," was all she said. She left to wash her hands.  
  
"Okay, what happened here, did I miss something big, English?" Gunn looked at Wesley for confirmation. The Scoobies looked equally confused.  
  
"Angel went to see someone called the PTB," Xander answered when it appeared that Wesley was lost in thought.  
  
"Oh," Fred and Gunn said in unison, as if that explained everything. They both went back to their books.   
  
"What do you mean oh," Willow asked, curiously.  
  
"PTB's are the Powers that Be," Fred told them.  
  
"Oh," Buffy said. She paused for a beat, "So…"   
  
"So…they aren't the easiest beings to see. Angel isn't the most patient of champions, and Cordy dying isn't the best of situations," Wesley said, "He went to them to make them take the visions away."  
  
"Oh," Xander said this time.  
  
"I take it the answer was no," Buffy asked.  
  
"What do you think?" Gunn said sarcastically, referring to the rather beat-up situation Angel returned in.  
  
"How did Cordelia know where Angel went?" Anya asked.  
  
"She knows Angel, better than anyone else," Wesley replied, "Especially after last year."   
  
"What happened last year?" Willow asked.  
  
"Remember when Angel slept with Darla, well after he came back, Cordelia told him, they weren't friends anymore," Wesley started.  
  
"Angel panicked, it was actually quite funny, looking back," Gunn took over from Wesley.  
  
Wesley started again, "He wanted our forgiveness, but hers…he needed hers. When she forgave him, Angel finally figured out he had been taking her for granted before. They started talking. He would tell her things I don't think he ever told anyone before," Wesley said to the curious onlookers.  
  
"Its also why he can't conceive losing her," Gunn finished sadly, "And when he started falling for her."   
  
A shaky voice interrupted the conversation, "Why does Cordy have CATscans?" The group turned to see a slight girl, holding the black sheets in her hands.   
  
Buffy opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out.  
  
Dawn asked the question again, more insistently. The Scoobies exchanged looks. They didn't know how to answer.   
  
"Why does Cordy have CATscans?" Dawn yelled this time. At the corner of the stairs Spike could be seen, rushing down at the sound of it. "She's going to die, isn't she? Like Mum," Dawn stated, looking at Buffy. Her face answered the question for the young girl.  
  
"Mum had CATscans too. And she died." She dropped the X-rays. They fell silently, almost in slow motion to the ground. Everyone watched the movement, no one knowing quite what to do. Dawn turned suddenly and took off.  
  
Right into Cordy, who was coming from the bathroom  
  
"Woah there, Dawnie. Slow down or you are going to hit something," Cordy grabbed the distraught girl, pulling her into her arms. Dawn didn't come easy. She began to hit the older girl with her tiny fists, causing Cordelia to catch hold of her hands.  
  
Buffy, Spike, Willow, Anya, Giles and Xander all moved towards the two. Cordy held up her hand to stop them.  
  
"Dawnie?" Cordy questioned gently.   
  
"You can't die. Connor needs his mother. He has to have a mother. Children should have mothers," the girl cried out, before bursting into tears. Loud. Sobbing tears.   
  
"I know, sweetie. And I know that you know that sometimes people die. Sometimes people have to leave," Cordy spoke to Dawn in soft even tones.  
  
"Why? Why do people have to die? I don't want anyone else to leave, Cordy. Mum died. And Buffy. And now you," Dawn stopped struggling.   
  
"I wish I could tell you, Dawnie. Sometime we can't explain why things happen. But I do know one thing," Cordy said.  
  
"What?" Dawnie choked out.  
  
"I believe in miracles," Cordy told her softly.  
  
"How? How can you believe in miracles? You are going to die," the teen shouted the last bit at Cordelia.   
  
"That part is easy," Cordelia replied, "I see them everyday."   
  
"Everyday?" Dawn questioned, curious despite the anger she felt over things she couldn't control.  
  
"Yes, everyday," Cordelia smiled gently at Dawn, "Connor is a miracle, Dawn. He was never supposed to have been born. The human son of two vampires. That's a miracle, Buffy coming back to you. That's a miracle, honey. Spike loving you, that's a miracle. And you know what else?"   
  
"What?" the question was already less sullen, as the girl took in what Cordy said.  
  
"You. You're a miracle. You didn't exist before, and now you're a baby sister, a friend, important. Loved. You, Dawn are special. A miracle, and we all know it."   
  
"I am?"  
  
"You are." The answer was sure. Confident.  
  
"I wish you didn't have to die, Cordy," Dawnie told her, a tear escaping.  
  
"Me, too, sweetie," Cordelia wrapped her arms around the younger girl.  
  
"Can we bring you back? Like Buffy." She whispered against Cordelia's breast.  
  
"No, honey. Buffy was special. But it isn't right to change the natural order of things. You of all people know that," Cordy said firmly, leaving no doubts in anyone's mind. Dawn glanced at Spike for a second, before nodding in agreement.  
  
"Okay, Cordy."   
  
"I want you do something for me, Dawnie. Something only you can do," Cordelia said to the girl, leaning back slightly to look at her.  
  
"What?" Dawn sniffed.  
  
"I need you to take my baby shopping."   
  
"Shopping?" the girl giggled. It wasn't what she was expecting.  
  
"You are my last hope, Dawn," Cordelia said seriously, "Angel will only have Connor wearing black, Spike will have my baby in leather. And we both know your sister has little fashion sense," Cordy sent a look to Buffy. It wasn't apologetic, or mean. Whatever it was, Buffy got it, and smiled back. Dawn laughed and nodded in agreement.  
  
"And we both also know, Willow and Fred can't do, with the floral and the…," Cordelia waved her hands to explain, "Wesley and Xander are dorks, and Giles doesn't know how to shop for anything but tweed, that leaves you, Dawn. You can take Anya – she's got okay taste for an ex-demon, and Gunn, but don't let him buy those pants that look like they are going fall off any second," Cordelia continued, her face totally earnest. This was a serious matter.  
  
"You can trust me, Cordy. I'll make sure Connor only wears the coolest clothes," Dawnie told her, just as grave. She already looked better. And she had stopped crying.  
  
"Perfect. I was worrying about that," Cordelia smiled at the girl again, "I had better go. Got a crabby vampire upstairs who carries on worse than a baby when he's hurt," she told Dawn. Giving the teen one last hug, Cordy walked to the steps.  
  
"Cor, you really think I'm really a miracle?" the soft voice stopped her.  
  
Cordelia turned and gave the teen one of those smiles, the 100watt ones that had men walking into walls, "No, Dawnie. I don't think. I know. Ask anyone," she said.  
  
"She's right, squirt. Barbie ain't never wrong," Gunn stated.  
  
Dawn smiled. Her very own 100 watt smile.  
  
"I am not a dork," Wesley protested a little belatedly.  
  
"I don't only wear tweed," Giles defended.  
  
Gunn sent them both disbelieving looks.  
  
"I wanted a miracle speech. Why didn't I get one. I needed one," Xander asked the room, speaking to no-one in particular. He didn't question his dork-status, having heard it from Cordy before.  
  
"Cordelia said I could take Connor shopping," Anya announced proudly to the room.  
  
"Cos we're cool, and they're not. Right, squirt?" Gunn said.  
  
"Right," Dawn giggled. She liked Gunn.   
  
"I wanted a miracle-speech too. I think we should have got one," Willow said, agreeing with Xander.  
  
"You can't have the miracle-speech. You're not a miracle," Dawn said to them, sounding sure.  
  
"Why when I tell her she's special, I get a 'Yeah, right!' and sarcasm, but when Cordy tells her, she's all 'I'm a miracle now," Buffy asked.  
  
"Cure. You're looking for a cure, right?" Dawn suddenly questioned, ignoring Buffy's question.  
  
"Yes," Wesley told her.  
  
"Well, go then," Dawn ordered, sounding remarkably like Cordelia for a second, "The quicker we find Cordy's miracle, the better," she said, and everyone scattered to their various places again, hope somehow restored.  
  
TBC  
  
  
a/n hey ppl  
  
this is sort of an in between part, to deal with some of the stuff that didnt get taken care of in the previous parts. I hope u like the Dawn part...i feel quite sorry for her, having to deal with so much, but i don't quite know how to write her. I left her out, made her sleep (writer's perogative) earlier because i felt i couldn't do her justice then...hope this works   
  
Domino 


	10. Energy Matrixes

Chapter 10  
  
"I found something," Willow's yell had them all looking up. Hopeful faces stared questioningly at her. The sound of footsteps was heard, as Angel rushed into the room, almost healed, dragging Cordelia behind him.  
  
This was the third day of searching. They took turns sleeping, and after witnessing an actual vision on the second day, seeing the debilitating pain their friend suffered, it renewed all their efforts. Buffy, Xander, Gunn and Spike dealt with that vision, since Angel was never more than a few feet from Cordelia since his declaration of love. He refused to leave her , and because the Scoobies were around and it hurt too much to yell, Cordy gave in. For the first time ever, she let them see the pain she was in after a vision. Somewhere in the last few days, Angel had extracted a promise from her – No more hiding, and so she didn't cover it up.   
  
Angel never left her side, and neither did Fred, or Dawn but for the rest eventually the watching the pain was too much for them. Gunn left the hotel, and didn't return for hours, looking like he had been in several fights…the results of which were several dead vampires.  
  
Spike started drinking, and Wesley and Giles buried themselves further into their books, burying out the screams of pain, and the sight of their friend convulsing on the floor, her vampire's arms surrounding her, holding her, trying to anchor her, tears running down her face as she relived the victim's pain, and her own, over and over again.  
  
"How the hell did she hide that?" Buffy yelled, banging her fist through the wall. It gave way, superior slayer strength no match for walls decades old.  
  
Xander hadn't said a word since it happened. He went to the car, reached into the boot for the old toolbox that was always there, and silently began fixing the wall. He disappeared into the hotel after that, and from various areas of the hotel, areas closed off, they could sometimes hear the faint sounds of a hammer.   
  
Those sounds were echoed by pots banging as Anya, hid in the kitchen. Not for the first time she didn't know just what to do in the situation.  
  
"She was always good at hiding things," Willow answered, floating a few feet above ground. Buffy reached her hand up, and pulled Willow to the ground. Whenever Willow's emotions grew out of hand, her magic went out of control.   
  
Angel and Fred tiptoed out the room, Cordelia was finally asleep. Dawn stayed, curling up on the bed, keeping an eye on her.   
  
The rest watched as his face hardened, the second he walked out, and not knowing what to do or say, followed him to the basement. And then they watched as he began to hit the punching bag over and over again, until the bag broke and the chain attaching it to the ceiling gave way under the strain. Buffy joined him then, offering herself to fight him. She understood this. Fighting to rid yourself of the anger. It was her way to deal, her way of being the friend she should have been.  
  
The two beat each other up, a battle that raged furiously, quick, efficient moves, fast, furious actions – the anger at Cordy's fate that he couldn't show her. Not now. And when Buffy stopped, Spike gave himself to the fight, the familiarity of years of similar fights. The two vampires were just a blur as the fought, the kicks and punches so fast, vampire speed at its maximum the human eye had trouble taking it in.   
  
No one understood this better than Spike, after all. It would have continued, despite their bodies limits, but something stopped dark haired vampire. Without warning, Angel paused suddenly and ran up the stairs.  
  
"Her heartbeat's changed," Spike told them, where they sat, watching the two of them going at it, "She's waking up."   
  
"You can hear it from here?" Anya asked.  
  
"Not really. Its too far, but if your focus is on it, you can tune all else out, until all you hear is that beat," Spike said wearily, and collapsed next to Buffy.  
  
Things returned to normal, normal as in research mode, after Cordelia woke up, to find Angel at her bedside, no trace of the anger visible. She looked deeper and saw the traces in the dark recesses of his eyes, but let him keep it, not saying much. She didn't let them dwell on the pain, after that.   
  
Her presence brought them all back together. With new desperation the search began again, Dawn's constant optimism since her talk with Cordelia, and Connor kept them all going. Looking at his face was enough to turn all of them into mush. Watching him with Cordy had them all making silent promises to keep her alive.   
  
It was why now, Willow's yell had gathered them together, waiting for something. Anything. Hope.   
  
"What? What did you find?" Angel asked eagerly. If he was human, he would have been out-of-breathe.  
  
"It's a healing spell," Willow said, and at the happiness on their faces had to clarify, "Not a cure, but…"   
  
"It will buy us some time," Wesley finished for her.  
  
"Lets go do it, then," Gunn said, and stood up enthusiastically. Fred was already up.  
  
"Come on, Cordy," Angel, grabbing her arm. She didn't budge.  
  
"Tell them all, Willow," Cordy said to the red-headed witch.  
  
Willow swallowed. "You know about it," she asked. Cordelia nodded, and Willow wasn't too surprised. Cordelia was really efficient when it came to research. There hadn't been anything that they had found so far that she hadn't already known, and discarded. "There are side-effects," Willow added reluctantly.  
  
"What kind of side effects?" Spike asked. Angel had wrapped his arms around his Seer again, holding her tightly to him.  
  
"The spell uses the body's energy to heal the part that is damaged, in this case Cordy's brain. It will need to replenish the energy and that takes time," Willow said.  
  
"It will leave me bedridden, not able to move," Cordelia cut right to it.  
  
"But it will heal her?" Fred asked hopefully.  
  
"Yes, but, the next time she has a vision, the damage will begin all over again, and the spell becomes less effective the more you attempt to use it." The happiness on their faces diminished.  
  
"I won't do it," Cordelia said, "I won't spend what I have left lying in a bed."   
  
"Cordy," Angel pleaded.  
  
"I'm sorry, Angel. I just can't."   
  
"Okay," he said sadly, seeing the determination in her face. The two turned to walk back out, a slump easily visible in his shoulders.  
  
"Wait," Fred yelled. Angel turned back, hopefully.   
  
"What if we…we can try, yeah it might work, won't it, Willow?" Fred said, words tumbling out.  
  
"Fred! Fred," It was Anya who yelled her name.  
  
"Tried what?" Dawn said, looking at Fred if she had all the answers.  
  
"Used the spell, but not Cordy's energy," Fred said and she ran to her computer, typing figures in furiously. Her excitement was infectious, and Willow, Giles and Wesley seeing where she was going also began calculations.   
  
Giles grabbed the book Willow was holding and read the spell, his brain working frantically.  
  
"It could work," Willow said, "We just have to figure out how to collect the energy, and how to transfer it."   
  
"It could work," Wesley repeated, trying to find a transfer spell.  
  
"Wait," Cordy's shout interrupted them, "I don't want anyone else bedridden. You can't just take someone's energy."   
  
"You can have mine," Angel immediately said.  
  
"No," Cordy yelled, "No, Angel. It isn't right."   
  
"But…"  
  
"It wouldn't work anyway, Angel," Willow interrupted, "You're technically dead, you don't have living energy, so she can't use yours."   
  
Cordelia looked smug.  
  
"She can have mine," Gunn, Wesley, and Xander said together. Cordelia started to cry.  
  
"You don't have to do that, guys," she said, pushing away the tears away furiously.  
  
"No one has to be bedridden," Fred told them, looking up, "We can use a little from everyone, and collect it, so it only affects a little. It might not be totally enough, but I am sure we can work something out."   
  
"What about mine?" Buffy asked curiously.  
  
"What about yours?" Giles questioned.  
  
"I'm the slayer. My blood is different. Maybe my energy is as well," Buffy told them.   
  
Willow, Giles, Wesley and Fred stared at her in shock. They hadn't thought of that.  
  
"You're right, Buffy," Wesley said slowly, "Maybe…" he trailed off.  
  
"Her energy is different," Lorne supplied helpfully.   
  
"What do you mean?" Giles asked, his professor mode fully on.  
  
"Anyone else lost here?" Xander asked.  
  
"Shut up, Xander," Anya told him, listening.  
  
"Its a different colour. And there's more of it," Lorne replied.  
  
"Of course. She's the slayer. She needs more," Giles said, looking like a big puzzle had been solved.  
  
"If she uses mine, I won't be bedridden," Buffy said. This actually seemed simple to her.  
  
"But you won't have slayer strength for a while," Cordelia said to her, trying to make sure Buffy understood the consequences.   
  
"Of course, Dawn's energy is even more different," Lorne put in, interrupting.  
  
"Dawn?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Me?" Dawn turned to Lorne.  
  
"The Nibblet?" Spike moved to stand protectively behind her.  
  
"What's different about her energy?" Wesley asked, when Lorne stared at Dawn curiously, seeing something the rest couldn't see.  
  
"Its pure. Powerful. Clear," Lorne replied. "The Slayer and the princess have a little bit of that as well."  
  
"Of course," Fred said, "They are all links, creations of the PTB's. Their energy would be different. Dawn's the key, Cordy's the Seer, and Buffy's the slayer. Plus Dawn was created from energy, well we all were, but Dawn was an actual matter conversion," Fred paused for a breathe. The others waited for her to finish. Once you got to know her a little, you figured out that some of these rants went somewhere, "Dawn's energy would work. We wouldn't even need anyone's else's," Fred finished.  
  
"I can save Cordy," Dawn said, looking excitedly at Cordelia and Buffy.  
  
Cordelia seemed shocked. She sat down suddenly, pulling Angel with her. He didn't say anything, waiting this time, for something to come out. Something real. Something that could save her.  
  
Gunn, and Xander were silent as well.  
  
Dawn ran to Cordy, "You were right, Cordy. I am a miracle. I get to be yours," she jumped up and down excitedly.  
  
"This could actually work," Wesley said, and he Giles began scribbling a new incantation, that would include a transfer of energy from another source. The word spurred the rest into action. Willow, grabbed Anya's arm and the two ran to get the ingredients, not waiting for a confirmation.  
  
"Isn't this great, Buffy?" Dawn said, hugging her.   
  
"It won't hurt her?" Buffy asked. She couldn't not ask. It was one thing to risk herself, but Dawn was different.   
  
"No, I don't think so," Wesley looked up from his scribbling.  
  
"You'd better be more clear than that, mate," Spike growled.  
  
"I wouldn't let anything happen to Dawn," Giles reassured them all.  
  
"You okay," Angel asked Cordelia worriedly. She hadn't said a word, and was just sitting there.   
  
"I don't know. Its all happening so fast," Cordelia replied to Angel's question.   
  
Willow and Anya ran back into the room. The brain trust started consulted furiously in one corner. Giles and Wesley, working in unison began to draw the pentagram on the floor, while Willow and Anya placed the items in place. Now that they had come up with a plan of action, no matter how temporary, they were not wasting any time. There wasn't any to waste. They were running against a clock, and Cordelia was on borrowed time. Whatever they did, it had to be now.  
  
"Are you sure?" Cordelia looked at Buffy and Spike, asking permission.  
  
They exchanged a look, and than glanced at Dawn, who was waiting impatiently by Willow for it to start, before Buffy answered the question.  
  
"It would be an honour," Buffy replied. And suddenly she felt clear, free. Angel smiled, a real smile, for the first time in days. He thanked her with his eyes. And then turned and nodded to his grandchilde. Spike nodded back solemnly.  
  
"Okay, then," Cordelia said, and walked to the shaped diagram on the floor, where Wesley and Willow were waiting for her. She stopped before she could step inside, and grabbed Dawn's hand.  
  
"Thank you," she told the girl softly. Dawn wrapped her arms around her, "You got your miracle, Cor. Connor gets his mother, and Angel gets to keep you," and for a second there, the teen was the older and wiser one.   
  
Both of them stepped inside the pentagram together. Giles and Anya stood on one side, near Dawn watching her carefully while Wesley watched Cordelia.   
  
"I am going to use some of the principles of reiki," Willow told them both, "Drawing energy from the room to perform the spell, and using the pentagram to contain the energy flow so it doesn't escape. The spell will let the transfer between the two of you work. Giles said that he doesn't even think I will have to do much, just temporarily change your form to its original, Dawn, and it should happen naturally."  
  
Cordelia and Dawn nodded. Dawn looked at Buffy and smiled reassuringly at her sister. Across the room, Gunn held onto Angel's arm to prevent him from moving any closer.  
  
"Are you ready?" Wesley asked them.  
  
"Yes," Dawn and Willow answered.  
  
Cordelia looked at Angel. He mouthed the words, "I love you," to her, and it was enough.  
  
"Yes," she told the waiting room, her voice sure as ever.   
  
Willow began the incantation, her eyes closed, her hands moving gracefully, her eyes darkening as the power flowed through her.  
  
The others watched hopefully. Both the girls stood still, unmoving as if held by an invisible force. Suddenly the room darkened, and all that was left was the candles, their light flickering with the breeze that arose with Willows words.   
  
The figures in the centre of the circle disappeared, until all that was left was the silhouettes of the two. The light shone from them both, Dawn a bright clear colour, pure energy and Cordelia a colour mix. It was beautiful. The energy by Cordy's head was red, as if bleeding, dying. The room watched in awe as the bright light from Dawn reached out and touched the red in Cordy's energy matrix, mixing, entwining, lightening.   
  
Slowly the colour began to change, as the red got paler, a pink before turning white. Then it began to withdraw, moving back, rejoining the younger girl. The silhouettes began to darken, and finally below a floating Wiccan witch, lay two fallen figures, there eyes shut.   
  
"Wow!" Gunn said. There was nothing else to say. No other way to describe it.  
  
Angel, Spike and Buffy rushed forward surrounding their loved ones. Spike picked up Dawn, and Angel gently lifted Cordelia in his arms.  
  
"Did it work?" Xander asked eagerly.  
  
"Are they okay?" Buffy questioned.   
  
Willow floated back to the ground. Her eyes began to lighten, their journey to return to normal. "They're sleeping," she said.  
  
"Is she healed?" Angel asked, a catch in his voice.   
  
Willow looked at him and smiled, "I think so. We should take a CATscan to check," she said. And then laughed in relief, "Wasn't that cool?"   
  
"Cool doesn't even begin to describe it, girl," Gunn told her, "You can have my six any day."   
  
Fred ran up to Willow and hugged her, "Will you teach me how to float?" she asked, excitedly.  
  
"When will they wake up?" Spike asked.  
  
"In a few hours, I think," Wesley replied. Their bodies need to make the adjustment.   
  
"Dawn is fine, right?" Buffy asked worriedly.  
  
"Her energy matrix is already restabilising," Lorne replied, watching both girls carefully, his abilities allowing him a view no one else could see.  
  
Spike and Angel headed for the stairs. They went into Angel's bedroom, and laid them on the bed, next to each other. Fred, picked up Connor from his crib and carried him to the bed laying him in Cordelia's arms. Almost immediately, both girls shifted in their sleep Cordelia wrapping her arms around her baby, and Dawn shifting her head to curl up into Cordy's side, seeking comfort. Spike lifted the blanket and covered the trio.  
  
Without saying a word, Angel took his seat, in the armchair, and he waited, never taking his eyes of his Seer. Spike did the same, leaning against the wall.  
  
And so the vigil began.   
  
TBC  
  
A/N  
  
Hey ppl  
  
I had a hard time getting onto ffn to post this. I hope this works. Anyway i just wanted to thank all those ppl who gave feedback. I love receiving it, even if it isnt always good. I did try to take your suggestions in hand, however if you flamed without reasons...can't help you there.   
  
Hope you enjoy.  
  
Domino 


	11. Sick Vampires

_ Title: The Visit_

_Author: Domino_

_Email: zahfat@yahoo.com_

_Summary: The Scoobies visit LA, and discoveries are made. _

_A/N: This is set before Cordy becomes a demon. Connor is still a baby. F/G are dating, and Groo hasn't returned. I've messed with the timelines a bit. _

Chapter 11 

****

Dawn was the first to wake up. It had been three hours, and very little had happened since. Xander and Gunn brought in chairs and the result was a bed surrounded by people sprawled out all over the room. The stress of the last few days had caught up with most of them, and some were lightly sleeping. 

"Did it work?" she sleepily demanded, as her eyes opened, and all around her movement began as everyone sprang back into action. The teenage girl was tired, and looked it. Giles and Wesley had already warned the Scoobies that this was to be expected, under the circumstances.

"We think so," Fred answered the girl, her optimism shining through. 

And that was that. Dawn went down to eat something, to replenish the energy lost, while Buffy and Spike followed worriedly and Giles started the check up to confirm that they were no side effects from the transfer . 

Seeing Angel looking happier now that Dawn seemed fine, despite the lines of exhaustion that lined his face since the discovery, Fred decided to get everyone out the room and give him some time alone with Cordy. 

Pushing them all out the room, despite protests from Xander, Wesley and Gunn, she determinedly led the pliant vampire to the bed, and ordered him to get some sleep. Within seconds his arms wrapped tightly around her, covering hers around a sleeping Connor, he was asleep. Fred stared for a minute taking in the peaceful expressions, and then silently walked out shutting the door behind her.

The rest gathered in the kitchen waiting for the food Gunn had ordered over the phone to arrive. 

"Doesn't the Slayer have fast healing?" Fred asked suddenly.

"Yes, she does," Wesley answered, almost absent-mindedly.

"What are you thinking, girl?" Gunn asked, watching Fred curiously.

"The energy transfer healed her, right?" Fred said, half-statement, half-question, "Giving her more time," she continued.

Willow nodded, "Until the next vision, and then the degrading begins again." ``

"So what we have like two years only then," Gunn asked, looking a bit upset at the news.

"Yes, but its time she didn't have before," Wesley said.

"How close was it?" Gunn asked, needing to know despite himself.

"Close," Willow said with feeling, "Day, maybe hours even. She kept it secret a long time." 

"Hours!" Xander said, swallowing hard as he took it in.

"Yeah," Wesley sent Xander a sympathetic look, "Every vision she had took away more time. The last one was pretty bad." 

"So…we need something permanent?" Anya said, "Something that will make the damage go away. Like Buffy's blood." 

"Exactly," Fred said, "Slayer blood has healing properties, right?" she looked at Wesley for a confirmation again. 

Wesley looked excited again, his eureka face was on.

"So what if give Cordy an infusion of Slayer blood," Fred asked, "We could try that, right?" 

Wesley and Giles looked at each other for a second, "It couldn't hurt," Giles answered, and they both jumped up and started pacing as they worked it out in their heads.

"With Dawn's energy mixing, and the link to the PTB's, who knows what the effect may be? It could even give her body the ability to heal itself, constantly." Wesley stated, running to Fred's side, interest building as he studied her plan. "We can try this after she wakes up," he told the ex-Pylean slave.

"Why wait?" Gunn asked.

"You're right," Giles said, "Let's ask Buffy now."

"Ask me what?" Buffy stood at the doorway with Dawn and Spike. They had been talking in the lobby, cornering Dawn to see if she was fine. 

"They want your blood, luv," Spike answered, his vampire hearing allowing him to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Oh, alright then," Buffy replied nonchantly. She was the slayer, some things just didn't seem strange to her.

Willow burst into an explanation complete with hand gestures, Fred cutting in occasionally to add a comment.

"Okay, then," Buffy said, after hearing them out. She held out her arm, and rolled up her sleeves, "Who's going to do the honours. I imagine we can't do it like last time 

"Last time?" Gunn asked.

"Yeah, long story. Short version, Faith poisoned Angel. Only cure – Buffy's blood. So he sucked her dry," Xander said plainly. 

"Hey!" Fred said, "I'm sure he didn't suck her dry." 

"Oh, I'm pretty sure some sucking was involved," Willow commented. Everyone turned to Buffy. 

She threw her hands in the air, "Yeah. Definite suckage. Big teeth marks in the neck," she answered the unasked question.

"See!" Xander said, giving Fred and Gunn the I-told-you-so look.

"Get that look off your face," Buffy hit Spike on the arm, not so lightly, as he leered at her neck, in the midst of some vampire day-dream. 

"Okay, definitely not doing it that way," Wesley said, "We'll do it the normal way. With a needle." 

"Oh. No needles. I hate needles," Xander protested.

"We're not taking your blood, Xander," Giles said in exasperation.

"Me not liking needles either," Buffy said, a little fearfully.

"But blood-sucking vampires biting you are okay," Gunn said, sarcastically. 

"That's different," Buffy replied. 

"Yeah, those kill you," Gunn said.

"It will be alright, Buffy," Dawn told her sister, comfortingly, "It won't hurt much." 

"Want me to hold your hand, luv," Spike asked. 

"Oh, please. You probably just want to be there to see the blood, you sick vampire," Buffy answered, looking slightly ill, at the thought of the needles. Xander looked pretty pale as well. 

"I am not a sick vampire," Spike defended, "I'm a perfectly healthy vampire. Well…except for the chip in the brain thing. And the whole being in love with a slayer thing. Okay…okay, you got me. I am a sick vampire. But not as sick as the poof," Spike finished his monologue, looking rather disgruntled, despite his last statement. 

Everyone ignored him. Except Dawn, who patted his arm comfortingly. 

Previous

Next

Home


	12. Transfers

_ Title: The Visit_

_Author: Domino_

_Email: zahfat@yahoo.com_

_Summary: The Scoobies visit LA, and discoveries are made. _

_A/N: This is set before Cordy becomes a demon. Connor is still a baby. F/G are dating, and Groo hasn't returned. I've messed with the timelines a bit. _

** Chapter 12**

They didn't tell Angel, any of it, not without being sure that it would work, even though Fred, and Wes were already almost positive that the theory involved was correct, particularly after the initial energy transfer, which, according to Fred's rather complex calculations, would facilitate the blood transfusion. 

It was Spike who organised the blood packets, the needles and the IV bags for the transfusion. He never did say where he got any of it, and no one asked. He was back before Cordelia had even woken up.

He also did the transfusion himself, an expertise, he had apparently picked up over the years to store blood in hard times, or more specifically when they (meaning the four of them, Spike, Angel, Dru and Darla) were being hunted. He shared quite willingly with a rather green-looking Xander the gory details, before Xander making a few gagging motions, ordered him to shut up. Smirking Spike did. Not surprisingly, Xander wasn't among the onlookers when Buffy was sitting rather nervously, arm held out ready for the procedure.

Giles and Wes overlooking, with Willow providing a rather squeamish Buffy with distraction, Spike performed the medical procedure with a grace many doctors and nurses would have envied. Gunn and Xander, both made excuses to avoid being in the room during this, although Gunn's was infinitely better than Xander's, who had raced out before Buffy had even got there, the minute Spike began waving the needles in his face, rather gleefully. 

Dawn, was still eating, her hunger not abated – and Fred, who was always hungry kept her company. Lorne and Anya were playing with Connor, who had woken up, and was carried out the room surreptitiously by Lorne , to avoid waking up the sleeping couple. 

Of course, all of them were drawn into the lobby by a scream - a rather unexpected one at that. Upon rushing in, the sight that met them would have had anyone staring in shock, especially anyone who knew the slayer.

"What happened?" Gunn asked, drawing out a stake. He looked worriedly at the figure laying on the floor. 

Wes looked like he was choking, a funny, strangling sound coming from him, and Giles had his face covered. Spike didn't spare anyone the cover of his amusement, and was chuckling quite openly.

"Who knew the slayer was such a scaredy-cat when it came to needles? Why – just imagine what the bad guys could do?" he said, smirking broadly. 

"She fainted," Willow explained, "When she turned around and saw Spike holding this," she held out the needle in question. 

Xander and Gunn both paled significantly and wavered. Gunn went down next, dropping to the floor in a unceremonious heap, while Xander ran from the room for a second time. 

Wes couldn't contain himself anymore. He let loose a loud laugh, and soon the rest of them joined in, their laughter echoing in the large hotel. It was a long time before any of them could stop, although to be fair, Fred did put a pillow under Gunn's head, and Spike lifted Buffy on to the sofa. Of course, he flat out refused to do the same for Gunn though, even after Fred pleaded and cajoled – something about a vampire having some pride, no one was listening. 

**********

The laughter had done them all good. It was in much better spirits, Spike, Wesley and Giles went up to the sleeping couple upstairs. Angel woke up this time, and sat up. 

Gesturing to indicate he would explain later, Wesley rolled Cordelia's sleeve up. Angel was silent, for the moment, though his eyes were filled with questions. Spike did the transfusion, with his usual efficiency – both vampires controlling the urge to grab the still warm blood, and drink. It was a strong urge, one that was hard to control, but the stakes were too high, in this case, in every case since they had fallen in love with two women who served much higher missions, two women that were more than any mere mortals. 

Lorne appeared in the doorway a minute later, looking hopefully at the group surrounding the unconscious girl.

"She looks so peaceful, doesn't she?" Angel said quietly, reaching out with his hand to gently stroke her cheek.

"Beautiful," Wesley agreed. He made a silent prayer for his best friend to wake up, to be cured.

"Why did you give Cordy Buffy's blood?" Angel put words to the questions in his eyes. If it were anyone else, they might have questioned how he knew the identity of the blood in the transfusion, but it was Angel. Besides being a vampire – reason enough, he also, was well acquainted with the slayer's blood. There was no real question.

"We're hoping that the blood will give Cordy the advanced healing that Buffy has, since we have mixed their energies, and Dawn is linked to Buffy, it just might work." 

Angel turned to face Wesley, his face filled with a hope it was almost painful to see. "Does that mean that…" he trailed off, unable to complete his question.

"We hope so," Giles answered this time, while Wesley lay a comforting hand on Angel's shoulder. It was move, rather uncharacteristic for both men, but appreciated for the meaning, and support behind it. 

"Shouldn't the chit be awake already," an unusually quiet Spike now spoke up.

Lorne was still, studying Cordelia – his face deep in contemplation. Spike reached out to hit the demon on the arm, to catch his attention, but Angel caught his hand in one of lightning reflex moves, just before Spike's fist made contact with Lorne. 

"Let him check, William," he told the younger vampire, reprovingly. 

"Lorne?" Wesley asked, when the green man smiled.

"She'll be awake soon," he answered the question. "Her aura is almost totally normal – and the colour is better." 

"Good," Giles replied for all of them. 

"Is it done yet? Can I come in?" a voice called from outside, rather nervously.

"Don't be ridiculous, Xander. Its just blood," Anya voice was heard and a second later Xander stumbled into the room, Anya behind him, looking amused. 

Xander opened one eye cautiously, and seeing no sight of needles or blood, opened the other, and moved closer to the bed, confidently.

"Did it work?" he asked, anxiously.

"I told you we wouldn't know until she has another vision, Xander," Willow answered his question walking in behind Anya, holding Connor in her arms.

"How's Buffy?" Giles asked Willow.

"I'm fine," Buffy answered, appearing in the doorway, Dawn a step behind her.

"Why – what happened?" Angel asked, looking worried.

"The slayer fainted," Spike answered, chortling.

Buffy glared at him, and then at Giles when he attempted to hide his laugher behind a series of coughs.

Angel smirked, looking happier than he had in a while.

"Its just a pint, Buffy," he said, "You've lost more than that before."

"Oh, no it wasn't the blood that made her faint," Wesley replied, between chuckles, "It appears that the our brave chosen one is afraid of needles."

"Oh, shut up, all of you. And I wasn't the only one, you know. Gunn fainted too." Buffy didn't look to impressed at being the butt of the joke.

There was a sudden surprising burst of laughter from the vampire, and then silence as everyone stopped dead upon hearing a moan from the bed.

"Did she?" Anya asked, her voice softer than normal.

"Shhh, I think she might be waking up?" Wesley said, moving closer to the bed. Angel was already leaning over Cordelia worriedly.

"What happened?" Fred asked, Gunn over her shoulder. He looked a little pale still. 

"Cordy moaned," Dawn answered. 

"Is she waking up?" Gunn questioned, and he grimaced as Fred grabbed his hand tightly.

Another moan from the bed drew silence again.

"Could you make any more noise. Major energy hangover here," Cordy's voice said softly. Her eyes opened slowly to see a room full of worried friends. There were relieved grins, as she spoke, giving the room a much lighter atmosphere.

"Hey," Angel said, his fingers tenderly touching her cheek.

"Hey," she answered softly, staring directly into his eyes. He smiled down at her. 

"How you feeling?" he asked, staring intently back almost as if he could see directly into her soul.

"Like I have been hit by a truck," Cordelia grinned back at him, "That's some punch you give, Dawnie," she said, looking past Angel to see the anxious teen. 

"Yeah?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah," Cordelia replied and a proud grin spread across the younger girl's face. 

"I'm okay, Angel," Cordy said, reassuringly, when Angel's worried expression didn't change. "Really!" The seer reached her arm up, and slowly caressed his face, smoothing away the worry lines. He smiled at her, unable to resist. 

"I love you," he said, whispering the words. 

"I love you too," Cordy answered, and she smiled. Her smile. And the room around faded. All that existed was her. He leaned down and kissed her.

Previous

Next

Home


	13. Epilogue

_ Title: The Visit_

_Author: Domino_

_Email: zahfat@yahoo.com_

_Summary: The Scoobies visit LA, and discoveries are made. _

_A/N: This is set before Cordy becomes a demon. Connor is still a baby. F/G are dating, and Groo hasn't returned. I've messed with the timelines a bit. _

** Epilogue**

They came in dripping, slime falling to the ground as the walked. Angel led the way, his stride so fast, only Spike could keep up. He ignored his injuries, intent on only one thing. Getting home. To her.

***********

"Cordelia, don't you think you should rest some more?" Willow asked, her voice though quiet as not to aggravate her friend's headache, was determined. 

Cordelia ignored her suggestions and swung her legs over the bed. "I'm fine," she said.

They weren't as eager to believe her. Fred gave a disbelieving snort to emphasize her skeptism. 

"I'm sure you are," Tara said, in a calming tone, reaching one hand to hold the Seer to the bed. She was surprisingly strong.

"No, really, I am," Cordelia insisted. She smiled, her blinding smile. Despite themselves, they all allowed themselves to be convinced. 

"They're back," she said, jumping of the bed and moving decisively to the door, Willow, Tara and Fred following. 

"What are you doing out of bed, Cordy?" Xander asked, making them all jump, as he appeared in the hallway suddenly, Anya peeking over her shoulder. 

"I'm fine," Cordelia insisted again and then threw her hands up in the air in disgust. "Why won't you people believe me?"

Fred opened her mouth to reply when Cordelia continued, "Never mind, don't answer that."

"Really, I'm fine," Cordelia told Xander softly. "No headaches." He still didn't looked convinced, but Cordy had given up on him, and was now on her way down the stairs.

"What's Cordy doing out of bed?" Dawn asked, sticking her head out her bedroom door. 

"I'm fine," Cordelia yelled, from the bottom.

"Okay!" Dawn said, and led the way down. 

They reached the bottom as the door flung open and Angel came rushing in. 

"Damn it, Angel – that floor was cleaned two days ago. Stop dripping slime all over it," Cordelia glared at the offending vampire.

Angel stopped dead, and stared at her in shock.

"What are you doing out of bed?" he asked, and Xander, Dawn, and Willow all mouthed the words with him. 

"I'm fine," Cordelia said. Again. 

Angel began moving towards her, his movements fast and efficient, a hunter moving towards it's prey. Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya took a step back, almost unconsciously, Dawn moving behind Willow.

Cordelia didn't move and stared him down. "Don't even think about it," she warned, and he quelled under her gaze. 

The door opened again. 

"Damn, peaches. A little slower ain't gonna kill you," Spike said, as he limped in, "What are you doing out of bed, princess?"

Cordelia growled audibly, and glared at him, before stamping off. 

"What did I do?" Spike asked no one in particular. 

"Wait, princess," he called, "Aren't you going to fix me up? It hurts," he exclaimed piteously. 

Angel growled this time, as Cordy stopped and headed back to Spike. Spike smirked at his sire, but the smirk faded, as Angel's hand shot out and caught his Seer around the waist, dragging her to him. 

"Angel," Cordelia exclaimed, but she didn't seem that upset at her vampire. 

The door swung open again, and the arguing voices of Gunn, and Wesley was heard. Buffy led the way in. 

"What are you doing out of bed?" Buffy, Gunn, and Wesley said together.

Cordelia dived for them, only Angel's hand around her waist kept from getting to them. 

"Let me at them," Cordelia shouted at Angel, struggling to jump out of his arms. 

Buffy jumped back, "What? What did we do?" she asked, frantically. 

But the others were no help. Xander was holding Anya in an effort to hold himself up, his laughter bubbling over. And Willow had her hand over her mouth hiding her smile. 

Spike had his arm over his stomach, his fingers over the wound, while his expression lay somewhat between a grin and a grimace. 

"Cordy, honey," Angel said placatingly, not releasing her. Cordelia turned her rather formidable glare on him, but resolutely Angel held his ground. 

"Don't you Cordy honey me," she said, bitingly. "I said I was fine. Didn't I say I was fine?" she turned to the rest of the room. Everyone immediately nodded. 

"Traitors," Angel muttered, loud enough for them to all hear. 

Lorne came walking down the stairs, just then, holding Connor in his arms, "Hey poppets, guess who just got up?" he said. 

Cordelia immediately relaxed, and reached for the baby boy, all her anger forgotten. 

Angel gave an audible sigh of relief, "Perfect timing," he said under his breath. 

"I swear he uses the kid to control her," Spike said, being the only who heard Angel. Angel glared at him, "Then, again – it is the only way," he added, looking at the now content Seer, smiling happily at the baby she was just beginning to carry again. 

Angel stopped looking at Spike somewhere in the middle of his tirade, and had only eyes for his family in front of him. Buffy, standing on the side, couldn't help feel her throat block as she watched the man she had once thought to spend the rest of her life with, look like he had been given a gift he wasn't sure he deserved. She smiled, happy that she and Dawn had contributed to making sure he got to keep it. 

She noticed out the corner of eye, Wesley gesture to Lorne. And Lorne, move closer, and subtlely run his green hand over Cordelia short locks, scanning her. Buffy noticed the others had stopped laughing and were watching the proceedings with anxiety, and some dread. 

This was the first time after the transfers that Cordy had had a vision – they were all worried that her brain might begin deteriorating again. She had only been up a day or so since the transfer, and though she seemed fine, none of them were going to forget the scare that she had given them, sleeping for 3 straight days, as her body healed itself, waking up intermittently. 

It wasn't too much a surprise that she was beginning to chafe under the constant supervision, and coddling. Angel, of course, was the worst. The only reason he even went on the vision, was because she told him, the quicker the vision was sorted the faster the headache goes. It was definite motivation. Before she had even finished explaining where to go, he was out the door, on the way. The faster he killed the bad guy, the quicker he could get back to her. 

Lorne smiled. A big wide grin, answering all their questions.

******

That night they celebrated. One last time before the Scoobies had to leave back for Sunnydale. They danced and sung. They laughed and joked. It may have not been much, but for that night, for those hours, they were together. They were happy. They were all healthy. And it was something that they all treasured. 

It may not be forever, may not be even a moment in their lives – but, while it had taken them years, through teenage angst, love and hate, conflict and war, they had come out on the other side, whole, friends – who stuck together, and who were there when it counted. And that was all that mattered. 

That and the happy ever after, they were determined to get, and willing to fight for. They were family – two vampires, two watchers, two witches, a slayer, an ex-demon, an ex-gang member, a scientist, a seer, a baby, a key, and a man. A dysfunctional family. But a family, nonetheless. 

And nothing was going to change that. 

The end.

_Author's Note_

_I just wanted to thank everyone who feedbacked me over such a long time. I know I took ages to complete this fiction, and I do want to let you know that I appreciate your patience. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you. _

_Domino_

Previous

Home


End file.
